The Fire Dragon Heiress
by NightRaven33
Summary: When Team Natsu leaves to complete a mission that might be a lead to Igneel, they encounter something that they do not expect at all. How will this new encounter affect life in Fairy Tail? How will it effect the outcome of the epic final battle between the Light guilds, Zeref, and Acnologia? Kinda sucky summary but can't have any spoilers.
1. Chapter 1

**Hi everybody!**

 **So I've been having this idea float around in my head for a while and finally figured out a good way to start the plot. This is another longer series, similar to "Our Worst Nightmare" another Fairy Tail fanfic, so I hope that you stick around with me until the end and hope you enjoy!**

 **Also this story takes place after the Grand Magic Games arc, however there will be spoilers/hints towards the more recent chapters as the story goes on (Tartarus and the arc with Zeref and Mavis in particular). I haven't read the manga, but I know basically the summary of the future arcs, so if you don't want to know about that, skip this story for now and come back when you feel like it.**

Chapter One: A Fateful Encounter

It was a relatively normal day at the Fairy Tail guild. Natsu and Gray were busy brawling in the middle of the room, with Elfman jumping in from now and again because he kept on screaming about how "manly" fighting was. Juvia was nearby eying Gray, virtually undressing him with her eyes but it wasn't really necessary since during the brawl, Gray's shirt had, no surprise, magically disappeared while fighting. His pants looked as though they were close to being tossed to the side as well. Hoppy was busy chasing Carla around, desperately trying to get her to join him to go to the lake together and eat some fish. The Thunder God Tribe was occupied fawning over Laxus again; however, Evergreen seemed to be eying Elfman more and more with each passing second. Levy was busy studying, most likely preparing for another job as Gajeel watched her from a distance, his eyes never leaving her line of sight for more than 5 seconds at a time. His attention was distracted primarily by Jet and Droy, who were standing directly behind Levy cheering her on. Lily was currently not in the guild as he was training outside, some of his shouts flooding into the guild hall with power and strength. Erza was also not present, most likely stopping by the café to buy herself some strawberry cake. Cana was drinking, Master Makarov was lamenting his numerous high bills, and Wendy was talking with First Master Mavis about some unknown topic. Lisanna and her sister Mirajane and their friend Kinana were wandering about, trying to keep some kind of sanity in this guild.

And me?

I was spending my time at the bar counter trying to focus on reading a new novel that I just found the other day. It was just at sunset and Natsu, Happy, and I were walking home after a mission, travelling through the forest when I saw it: a hard covered tome-looking book. I immediately picked it up and brought it back to the guild for the master and Levy to check first. They said that there didn't seem to be anything particularly worrisome about the book at all. It was just a plain book. The only thing that was unusual about it was that except for the first page, none of the other pages had words on it. So, of course, I started to read it. It was then that I realized that somehow it could tell what I had read previously and filled in the rest of the pages as I went. At the beginning of the book, it has a quote that gave me a couple of chills when reading it, "Only the descendent of the fire dragon can save the world. They alone can feel the compassion of humans and the power of a deadly dragon." Even now, I don't understand why that quote is there, but I guess it has something to do with Natsu.

This story is a bit different from the novels that I normally read because it is very similar to my own personal life. When I asked Levy about it, she said that maybe the book was taking its plot from my mind in order to match my life. I shrugged and kept on reading the book. With the quote at the front of the book, it only makes sense that it is related to Natsu. He's saved everybody dozens of times. Still, it was very strange to hear about my own life at Fairy Tail from another's perspective.

It even captured my frantic feelings whenever my rent was due. It was too true at the moment actually. My rent was due soon and I was stressed. I didn't want to go out on another mission just yet until Erza came back. When the entire Team Natsu was together, we could go on more difficult jobs that paid more. Better for nearly everybody. So I was reading to pass the time. IAs I was reading about some of the wild antics that the people in the story were experiencing, the entire counter shook with a sudden bang. I gritted my teeth and didn't turn around. I knew that it was most likely caused by the two bumbling boys that were part of my team. Seriously, they are so powerful yet they act like 5 year olds 99% of the time.

I wasn't in the mood to glance back at them and there was another loud bang with a scuffling sound. I scowled and clenched my fingers. I thought slowly, "Just wait for Erza. Once she gets here everything will calm down. Then you can go on a job. Just read."

Another violent crash, "Just ignore them," my conscience crooned.

Loud shouts and cackling followed shortly after. Clenching and unclenching my fists, I closed my eyes and I focused on my breathing. This wasn't worth getting annoyed over.

In.

Another shake.

Out.

The sound of splintering.

In.

I was knocked forcefully off of my bar stool and found myself flat on the ground. My eyes snapped open.

Screw it.

Rising to my feet, I stomped over to both of the culprits and smacked both Natsu and Gray face-first into the ground. Ignoring their groaning and complaining, I glared darkly at both of them and they withered under my gaze. I spoke threateningly, "Both of you need to knock it off. You're going to destroy the guild again, and I'm going to be dragged into cleaning it up again. I'm not in the mood and you both are just acting like lunatics."

The guild hall was so silent you could hear a pin drop and then I heard a voice that caused my heart to drop into my stomach, "What is going on here? Care to explain Lucy?" I slowly turned around to look up to the face of the feared red-haired Titania. Her eyes were stern and her eyebrows raised in questioning.

I squeaked slightly and looked for some place to hide but I was in the middle of the guild hall. No place to go to. Erza loomed over me and I managed to squeak out, "Natsu and Gray were fighting and I just put a stop….to…" I trailed off. Even though Erza is one of my best friends, she's scary when she's mad and I definitely didn't want her angry at me.

She regarded me for a moment, sighed and turned to face past me, her eyes cold. She started walking past me, only for me to realize where she was headed to. I called out in warning but the sound had barely left my lips before the boys were slammed into the ground once more, significantly more violently than I had. She stood over top of them and scolded, "I can't believe you two. Its been years. Years that we have been working together and yet you cannot seem to understand the rules of friendship and of the guild. Lucy was right to have done what she did." I let out a big sigh of relief but felt slightly bad for the boys that were each sporting a large bump on their heads.

Erza let them climb to their feet and spoke, "Anyways, before I had to help finish this mess, there was something that I wanted to mention to you, Natsu." The pink-haired boy in question turned to her sharply, a slight hint of fear remaining in his eyes. Erza said, "As I was coming back, I passed through a town that was in mourning. After asking some of the locals, they said something about how something called the "Fire Dragon Heiress" is missing. Taken by some bandits."

Natsu's eyes flashed in shock and Erza continued, "I also heard that they were going to enlist Fairy Tail's help in trying to recover the Fire Dragon Heiress, so I decided to come back to let you know. I thought that since it was dragon related, that you might want to know."

Natsu's face beamed in excitement and said, "I bet it has something to do with Igneel!"

Then Gray interrupted and said, "Listen for a second Flame Brain, it's called the Fire Dragon _Heiress_. I doubt it has anything to do with Igneel at all. It seems to relate to a woman more than anything else."

I frowned and thought for a moment, eventually adding, "I've never even heard of something like this before. I assume it's just an artifact or piece of artwork that must have been special to the town."

Natsu's face fell and he growled, "But it still might be a clue. Maybe it can lead to another one of the dragons?"

Erza shrugged and said, "I'm just relaying what I heard. I think that we should all go together, apparently the mayor of the town was willing to pay a small fortune to whoever managed to save the Fire Dragon Heiress He must think that whatever is behind this is dangerous."

My heart leapt in my chest. Rent money! I said, "I agree with Erza. We should all go." I also added, "We can also make sure that Natsu doesn't go overboard and do something dumb while searching."

I heard Natsu scoff at my comment, but he didn't reply. Mira appeared out of nowhere with a piece of paper in her hands and she cheerfully said, "I heard you guys talking and already told the mayor that you would be on your way."

Gray nodded and took the paper from Mira and went to put it in his pocket when he realized that, like always, his clothes have vanished again and he was only clad in boxers. Grumbling, he took to picking up his clothes and Erza called out, "Hey Wendy! Want to come with us?"

The bluenette jumped up at her name and a look of fierce determination on her face. She replied, "I'm happy to help wherever I can!"

A white cat appeared floating at her side and the cat said, "I'll join you all as well. I don't want Wendy to be in too much danger."

Then a blue cat appeared out of nowhere and said, "Aye! I'm coming too!"

Erza smiled and said, "So it's settled, we leave immediately. We should arrive at the town just before sunset. The mayor said something about how it is best to search at night. Try to catch the bandits unaware."

With that, we were off. Clutching the book from before to my chest, I didn't notice that more writing had appeared in the book until we got on the train. This next section was titled, "The Fire Dragon Heiress". I smiled slightly but didn't read the next section yet. Had I read the next section, I would have been more prepared for what was about to happen over the next 24 hours and prepared for one of the biggest shocks of my life.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two: A Strange Place

 **LUCY POV  
**

It didn't take very long for us to be on our way to the town called Faunta. None of us had been there before and even Erza admitted that she had never passed through before today. Natsu was of course holding his stomach and groaning loudly as Carla said that Wendy shouldn't use up her magic too much before the mission. Erza agreed, so Natsu was left to his own motion sickness suffering.

Natsu looked a bit green as he asked, "Why couldn't we have just walked? We would have gotten there before midnight."

Erza shrugged in his direction and replied, "Faunta's laws state that no one is allowed to enter or exit the town after sunset. No one's even allowed outside of their homes after nightfall either." My mouth dropped open and she added, "I don't know the reasoning behind that rule either, I wasn't even allowed to travel through until sunrise. However, clearly they are desperate to get the Fire Dragon Heiress back. The mayor is bending the rule so that we are able to search the town at night. It is most likely the best time to find the bandits lurking."

I shuddered in response, "What could possibly cause a rule like that to be in place?"

Gray voiced my own thoughts, "I'm not quite sure, but I have a feeling we are going to find out."

A couple of hours passed and we finally arrived at the small town of Faunta. After working our way through a bunch of bulky looking guards and a large ornate gate, we managed to make our way towards where we would be meeting the mayor. It was a quaint-looking town, country houses lining either side of the street, looking as though it had been obsessively cleaned. People were bustling to and fro, no one staying in a single place for too long. Everybody looked nervously towards a large clock tower which was stationed in the center of the town, casting a shadow over the buildings. I gasped, "Whoa! This thing is big!"

Erza pointed to the hands of the clock, the smaller of which moving towards a section of the clock painted in black, "That's how the people know when they need to get back inside. I do not know why the townspeople themselves are not allowed to leave their homes when they are quarantined inside four giant walls." That explained why people were looking more anxious as the minutes ticked by. The little hand was getting really close to the darkened part and the sky was turned different shades of pink and purple.

Natsu punched his fist, "Come on! Let's find this mayor guy and see what he knows about the Fire Dragon Heiress." He moved quickly, and the rest of us took off after him. The last shades of light were just fading from the sky as we reached what surely must have been the mayor's office. Curtly knocking on the door, it opened to reveal a relatively young looking man, his eyes wild and fierce in thought. Even as he looked us over, I felt as though his mind was elsewhere.

He grunted, "You the Fairy Tail mages?" We nodded in response and he moved away from the door to let us enter. Walking in, Natsu wrinkled his nose and grimaced.

I asked, "Something wrong, Natsu?"

Natsu growled low, "How come you got Dragonbane growing in here?"

My eyebrows narrowed in confusion and I could hear Wendy gasp. I looked to see her with her hands covering her mouth, her eyes wide in fear. She looked scared beyond belief. The last time I had seen her like this was when Future Lucy died in my arms.

I didn't like their reactions, "What the heck is Dragonbane?"

Erza's eyes darkened, "A plant that can be grown by humans, meant to cause dragons to sleep. It was used millennium ago by priests before dragon slayers were created. It's used to lure dragons into a trap and cause them to fall into a sleep. In extreme cases, it can even cause death."

Natsu looked furious, his fists covered in fire, "You better have a good explanation for this!"

The eccentric-looking young man held up his hands in surrender, "Only grown right now for research purposes only. After hearing about the incident in Crocus, one can't be too careful." The fire around Natsu disappeared but he still looked furious. I guess it had a bad effect on dragon slayers too. The man held out his hand in greeting and said, "My name is Satoshi. Satoshi Yaoren. I'm the mayor of Faunta. I need your help."

Gray shook the mayor's hand and muttered, "Well sure doesn't look like it. You've got security all over the place." That was true. There were guards and soldiers everywhere, and getting inside of the city was significantly more difficult than usual.

Satoshi shrugged and said, "This town doesn't take too kindly to outsiders. The ones who took the Fire Dragon Heiress were outsiders themselves."

Erza's eyes narrowed in concentration, "So what do we need to know?"

Satoshi said, "The Fire Dragon Heiress is very important to us here in Faunta. The Fire Dragon Heiress must be returned unharmed and the bandits must be put to trial. The Fire Dragon Heiress was last seen two nights ago, and when one of my men checked the next morning, gone."

Carla finally spoke, "So is there any idea of where to start looking?"

The mayor answered, "This town is primarily made up of forest, reasoning behind the town's name of _Faun_ ta. There is reason to believe that the bandits are hiding out there."

Happy raised his hand and said, "Natsu can just sniff out the Fire Dragon Heiress out right?"

Natsu said, "I wish, but scents disappear pretty quickly. I don't think I'll be able to find anything." He shifted uncomfortably in place and reached towards the door, "I think we'll take it from here. We'll bring the Fire Dragon Heiress back by dawn."

Satoshi clasped his hands together and cried out, "Thank you!" He glanced at the window and gasped, "Well you better get moving. Nightfall and all."

Natsu and Wendy both dashed out the door and the rest of us calmly followed suit. The two dragon slayers were both breathing deeply, gasping in the night-air. Gray was the first to speak, "What was that all about?"

Natsu looked pissed, but Wendy answered, "Dragonbane is known to affect dragons. Guess it affects dragon slayers a little bit too. Felt as though something heavy was sitting on my chest in there."

Carla began to chastise Wendy for not saying anything sooner but I interrupted saying, "So off to the woods we go?"

Erza nodded, one of her swords shimmering into existence in the air, "Be on your guard. We don't know what to expect."

I nodded, fingering my celestial keys, feeling them hum in response. I figured we would be fine. Together we were one of the most powerful teams in Fairy Tail. But why did I feel as though something was missing? That there was one big piece of information just slipping out of my grasp?


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three: The Fire Dragon Heiress

 **NATSU POV  
** As we all made our way deeper into the thicket of the forest, I was still fuming about the whole encounter in that mayor's house. Igneel had warned me about the plant and had actually taken me to see it when I was younger so that I would know to recognize it. It was such a small amount and because it was wild, it did not have as strongly an effect so I was able to observe it safely. Back in that house though, there was so much of it I felt sick. I guess I can understand why that Satoshi guy is worried because of the whole Eclipse and dragon incident from a few weeks back, but it didn't mean that I needed to be happy about that.

We were trudging through the woods when an unfamiliar scent entered my nostrils. The force of it nearly caused me to gag. It was like the Dragonbane that was in the house before, but this stuff just smelled nasty and artificial, something that did not belong in a natural forest. I called out, "Hey, I can smell something." The others stopped walking and looked towards me.

Wendy's face scrunched up in disgust, "Yeah me too. There's something really really bad over in that direction." She pointed off to our right, "That might be where we need to go."

Erza gestured, "Lead on. You two are our only leads for now."

Changing our direction, it was about another half-hour of tracking before we found what I had been smelling all this time. The night sky was clear, the moon nearly non-existent, yet the building in front of us managed to be illuminated somehow. The dilapidated exterior gave the impression that it had been abandoned for years, yet I could sense that there was recent magic that was cast here.

Wendy looked up at the building apprehensively, "How come they haven't found this building before? It's not like it is particularly well-hidden." None of us had an answer for her. It did seem odd that this building had not been searched before.

Without any other words, we slipped inside silently. Presented to us was an incredibly long white hallway. In the distance, I could hear people laughing and the sound of clinking glasses. My eyes narrowed and I couldn't' help but let a frown cross my face. This was going to be too easy. They are off guard, unprepared. It will be child's play to get the artifact back. Maybe it was just as well. I don't want to stay in this town longer than I have to.

Erza and Ice Popsicle took the lead while Wendy, Lucy and I hung back. The Exceeds were floating a short distance up from the ground, not knowing what to expect. All of a sudden, a guy appeared out of nowhere about 50 yards in front of us and just happened to look tiredly down the hallway towards us. His eyes snapped open and he let out a sharp cry before ice encased the majority of his body. But it was too late. His partners were alerted to our presence and things became just a tad bit difficult. I felt myself smile slightly and I punched my fists together, letting out a wild laugh as I lunged towards the people charging towards us.

 **LUCY POV**

I can't believe Natsu right now! Things were going so well and peacefully, I was starting to hope that we would get the full reward without any injuries. Boy was I wrong. I pulled out my first key and cried out, "Open, gate of the golden bull! Taurus!" The normal shimmering light appeared before me and Taurus stepped out, holding his axe and ready to fight. I pulled out Flueve d'étoiles and slashed, joining the battle fray. None of these guys were particularly strong, almost laughable in comparison to the dragons and metallic dragonoids from the past.

There was one particular guy though that remained motionless during the entire fight. He was standing near the back of the group, his hands on his head, his eyes narrowed in concentration. That's when I realized also that most of these guys looked pretty similar. I called out, "He's using duplication illusion magic!" I didn't need to say any more, we've faced guys like him before. Natsu tracked the guy down like an animal, and before long, he was looking up at the face of Erza, trembling as she interrogated him.

She slammed her fist into the wall beside his face and he whimpered. She yelled, "Where is the Fire Dragon Heiress! We know it's here. Tell me where it is!" He shook his head wildly. While I could not exactly see what happened next, all I could see was that Erza leaned closer to the man and a dark aura surrounded her. Even I got chills. A moment later, the man was quickly reciting directions to the room that we needed to go to. Well, that was easy.

 **Natsu POV**

Following his directions, we made our way down the long winding hallways, each of them looking identical to the last one that we exited. Even as a dragonslayer, it would have been difficult to navigate these hallways myself. There weren't any kind of special smells that led us forward towards where his directions were taking us. I guess this is the one time we should be thankful that Erza is so scary. I shuddered inwardly. I had seen the expression that she made to that guard and even though it wasn't directed towards me, it still freaked me out. Still, these directions seemed to be so complicated, I personally thought that this job just wasn't worth it. If we get lost in here, it's going to take forever to get out.

The air felt heavy with the pressure of condensed magic, growing stronger as we moved forward. If I had to guess, the Fire Dragon Heiress was being guarded by some pretty serious magic. I'm still wondering what the heck this Fire Dragon Heiress thing is. If it seems to be guarded so securely, what the heck could it possibly be? I still think it has something to do with Igneel, even though no one else seems to think so.

After an indefinite amount of time, Erza held out her hand to block us from moving any farther forward. Her expression was intense and furrowed in concentration. Looking in front of us, there was only a single door on the right side of the hallway. Past that was a solid concrete wall.

I heard Wendy whisper, "Is this it? Is that where the artifact is?"

I placed my hands together and fire emanated from my body.

Gray shouted slightly, "What in the hell is your problem? What was the point of that? With that kind of attack you could have destroyed the artifact!"

I ignored him at first and stormed inside, anxious to see what we had been travelling to find for all of this time. It was time to prove that it was related to Igneel. It was only a few steps inside the door however before I actually lifted my gaze to see what was in front of me. Without realizing it, I froze. _No way…_ I was in shock, disbelief. _How…? How is this possible?!_ I could distantly hear the others calling to me, but I couldn't respond, couldn't move. I didn't understand, was this even really happening? This couldn't be possible! A look of horror most likely crept up onto my face as I stared in fear at what was clearly presented in front of me.

 **LUCY POV**

I rolled my eyes at Natsu's somewhat violent and over-the-top actions. It didn't even really surprise me anymore. It seemed to be his go-to thing and for him to have only really done that now is surprising. I was walking through the slightly smoking doorframe as I bumped into something in front of me. Looking up, I realized it was Natsu, his entire body tensing, his eyes wide and dilated. His mouth dropped open and closed, but no sound came through.

Looking past him, I realized just exactly what he was looking at. In front of us, instead of the artifact that we had anticipated to see, was a room set up like an experimental lab. There were creepy looking vials of unknown substances everywhere, and tubes lining the floor, only to lead to the main "attraction" of the room.

In the center of this gloomily-lit room was an incredibly tall glass container. It was filled the brim with glowing green liquid, but that wasn't what made this shocking. Inside the container was the figure of a human!

Upon closer inspection, I could see that the figure was a female, her lean figure being held upright by some chains. Tubes swayed gently in the liquid as one end connected to the floor while the other was connected to an intricate looking mask covering her mouth and nose. _Was she being drugged?_ Her left eye was covered by an intricate eyepatch, but it did not completely cover a scar that appeared to begin at the top of her forehead, streaking diagonally down her cheek, through the area where her eye is. Her visible eye was closed, and her entire body was motionless. Her shoulder-length wavy blue hair had a tinge of red at the ends, about an inch thick, as though the ends were all dipped in paint.

I heard Happy cry out, and I turned towards the sound to see Natsu continuing to look fearfully at this figure. He looked as though he had seen a ghost, sweat appearing on his face, his teeth and fists clenched tight. He wasn't responding to any of our questions. He was almost catatonic. I was going to see if I could help when he collapsed to his knees. He whispered, "Can it really be you?"

I didn't understand what he was talking about and neither did the others. Erza gripped his shoulders and turned him to face her. He didn't even blink as she asked, both gently and forcefully, "Do you know this person?"

His only response was, "Yaseika."

 _Yaseika?_ I looked back towards the girl. _Could that maybe be her name?_ Natsu continued to mutter "Yaseika" under his breath, as though it was his obsession. His eyes refused to return to normal and I could have sworn I saw a glint of gold in his irises. He even slightly began to rock slightly back and forth. Who the heck was this person? Why did she have such a strong effect on Natsu?


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four: An Unexpected Return

 **ERZA POV**

Watching my normally rambunctious teammate descend into such a fragile emotional state so quickly was frightening to watch. It reminded me of myself when I returned to the Tower of Heaven to take on Jellal. His reaction only added to my curiosity and suspicion. _Who could that person be?_ Just as I was thinking that, a loud alarm sound from directly above us. Jumping up to attention, I felt adrenaline surge through my body.

I heard Wendy cry out, "What's happening?"

As if in response to her question, a robotic monotone voice spoke, "30 seconds to self-destruct. 29…."

I cursed silently. How could I have been so blind? We left most of the other bandits in the hallway, without even bothering to tie them up. It appears as though one of them woke up and sounded the alarm. I willed for a sword to appear in each of my hands, charged forward and slashed through the glass container holding the young woman captive. As I did so, the liquid spilled out through the hole, causing the female to lurch forward limply. Without much difficulty, I managed to catch her before she fell, her body lighter than I was expecting.

The mask immediately slipped off of her face, revealing several other scars similar to the one by her eye. The scars were all in line with each other as though she had been attacked by some kind of animal. Her chest rose and fell slightly in time with her breathing but her eye was clenched tightly shut as though she was having a bad dream.

I turned around, carrying the girl to see that Natsu hadn't moved an inch from where he had fallen. Gray shook his shoulders violently, "Come on Flame Brain we got to get out of here!"

Happy looked like he was on the verge of crying, "Natsu. Come on. Please wake up!"

Lucy tried pulling him towards the door, "Move. Natsu! NOW!" All she succeeded in doing was pulling his head up so that he could see what was happening in front of him.

Wendy's voice cracked and was unsteady, "What about the Fire Dragon Heiress?"

Echoing throughout the room, I could also hear a faint, "15…14…13…"

I looked towards Wendy and said, "We don't have time. We have to leave!" I stood before Natsu, holding the girl up, her head cradled against my chest shouting at him, "Natsu, if you don't move right now, we are all going to get hurt." I gestured to the girl in my arms, "And she may die!"

Referring to the girl in my hold must have gotten through to him somehow. He blinked and his eyes regained their normal determination. Without even speaking, he jumped to his feet and sprinted out the door. Facing the concrete wall in front of him, he punched his fists together and rose one up above his head, "Fire Dragon Iron Fist!"

With a great explosion, the wall before him obliterated and we could see the forest surrounding the building. Sprinting outside, we didn't stop running until a booming sound emanated from behind us and a strong shockwave nearly knocked us off our feet.

After the incident had passed I asked, "Is everybody alright?"

I heard a dazed, "Aye…"

Lucy whimpered, "I think I'm okay."

Gray groaned, "Same here."

Wendy quietly said, "Me and Carla are okay too."

I didn't hear a response from Natsu so I turned back towards the building to see him standing there, his figure silhouetted by the fire of the building. He was facing me, his eyes glittering dangerously at the person that was still motionless in my arms.

Before I could ask him any questions, I could hear the sounds of many thumping feet. I sighed and realized that the soldiers from the city have arrived. They must have heard the explosion. Then I heard the sound of groaning coming from the building. There appeared to be people actually still in the foundation of the building, as shadowy figures emerged, stumbling out from the flames. I knew things were about to get a bit more complicated, so I turned back to the others.

I held the girl in my arms out to Gray, "Can you take her back to the town and make sure she gets healed? Take Wendy and Lucy with you. Natsu and I are going to stay here and make sure that these bandits are all captured and they get the justice that they deserve."

For a moment, Gray didn't move, but then he sighed and took the girl from me. When he did so though, I could hear a low growl from behind me. Whipping my head around, I could see that Natsu's eyes gained a malicious and angry look. The intensity of his gaze even caused me to feel a little uncomfortable. He muttered under his breath, "Don't you touch her, you ice princess!"

I think that he was about to instigate a fight but then I pushed him back, "Natsu. She needs medical help. She needs to go back to the town to get it. You need to stay here and help take care of the fire." He glowered at me but I didn't budge a centimeter. Finally, after a few tense seconds, he relaxed and backed down. I refused to let it show in my expression, but I guessed that if Natsu had tried attacking me while in that rage, he probably wouldn't have beaten me, but it would have been too close for comfort. I added, "I expect that we need to have a long conversation once we get back and it would be easier if you only needed to tell your story once." He shrugged and slinked off towards the towering flames.

I turned back to the others and gestured for them to get going. I didn't know how long Natsu's calm period was going to last, so I didn't want to chance it. Moments later, they vanished into the dense thicket of the forest.

It was about another hour before things managed to be cleared up at the bandits' hideout. All of them had been taken into custody and the fire quenched. Natsu and I were heading back to town to meet up with the others. He had been unnaturally quiet all of this time, only opening his mouth to eat fire. His eyes had a dazed look in them and he looked as though he was reliving some memories inside his mind.

I let out a sigh of relief when the town came back into sight. However, it was short-lived as Natsu stiffened. Before I could even react, he took off down the street.

"Natsu!" I cried out and took off after him. Chasing him down the deserted streets wasn't difficult and he eventually turned to enter a building on the left side of the road. Looking at the board naming the building, I realized that this was some sort of hotel.

Entering, I barely managed to see the edge of Natsu's clothing as he took off up the stairs. In close pursuit, I followed him as he eventually got off on the fourth floor, and burst into a door just in front of the staircase. Entering that door myself, I was met with the sight of the rest of our team, as well as the mysterious girl, who was still unconscious.

Wendy looked exhausted and I guessed that she had been trying to heal the girl with her magic. I didn't have any clue as to how effective it was.

Natsu immediately approached the girl's bedside and fell to his knees besides her. I decided to wait on asking him about the girl. Instead I asked Lucy, "Why are you all here? Shouldn't she be taken to a hospital?"

Lucy shook her head, "We wanted to but everything was closed. So we decided to come here and have Wendy try. There isn't going to be anything we can do medicine-wise until morning."

It was then that I heard Natsu again murmur affectionately, "Yaseika…" I turned towards him and rather than the fear or anger that was in his eyes previously, his eyes were wide in happiness and disbelief.

It was time, "Natsu," I said. He turned towards me, "Enough with this 'Yaseika' stuff." I pointed to the girl, "You clearly know her and it is time for you to tell us who she is."

His eyes fell and his entire body began flinching, his shoulders moving up and down. I watched as many drops fell to the ground before I realized that he was crying. He held the girl's hand and muttered something to himself. I shouted, "Natsu! Answer us!"

He looked at each of us, finally resting his eyes back on the girl saying, "I don't know where to begin…I can barely even understand it myself…"

Gray snapped, "Cut the crap Natsu. Who is she?"

He faced Happy as he replied, "Guys…this is Yaseika."

 _That explains his repeating of her name._ But I didn't understand. Neither did anyone else apparently. Lucy quietly asked, "Who is Yaseika, Natsu?"

He chuckled slightly to himself, appearing slightly crazed. He answered, his voice cracked, "Yaseika was my sister."

 **I know at the beginning, technically they all probably would have been fine if Natsu just ate the flames or Erza used one of her armors, but I was just trying to show that they were each preoccupied and couldn't protect the group. Anyways I hope you enjoyed this latest installment!**


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five: Natsu's Sister

 **LUCY POV**

It was so quiet after he said that, the only audible sound was of the girl's, or Yaseika's, ragged breathing. Then Gray's jaw dropped. He exclaimed, "What?! You're telling me that you had a sister all of this time, yet you didn't say a single word about her?" Natsu didn't respond to Gray's outburst, and instead sat quietly with a wistful expression on his face.

Then I realized something, "Wait, Natsu…" he looked up at me. I started gingerly, "You said that Yaseika _was_ your sister. Does that mean…?" I couldn't find kind words to explain what I was getting across.

Erza finished my thought, admittedly much more bluntly than I would have preferred, "She died?"

Natsu's expression darkened and he nodded grimly. He looked back towards Yaseika, still holding onto her hand like a lifeline. His answer explained a lot actually. It explained his shock at seeing Yaseika in that experimental tube. It explained how he was angry when we took Yaseika back into town. He was so afraid he was just going to blink and then she would be gone. To lose a sister…I was painfully reminded about what happened with Michelle. **(If you don't know what I'm talking about, either read a summary or watch Season 5 of the anime. It's a filler arc.)**

I had to admit though, I was more morbidly curious than ever. For someone from Natsu's past, who was supposedly dead, and who Natsu never talked about just show up out of the blue is more than a little strange. I sat down on the opposite side of Natsu and reassuringly rubbed his shoulders.

Wendy beat me to the punch though, "Would you mind telling us about her?"

I could feel him tense under my hands, but then a sigh escaped his body. He started, "It was many years ago. Back when Igneel was still around…"

 **NATSU POV**

I don't remember exactly when Igneel found me, since I don't remember anything from before then. When he took me in, Yaseika was there. She was around 16 or so at the time. She was Igneel's previous student before me. Yaseika was an incredible fire dragon slayer. When I was beginning to learn magic, she would help to teach me as well. She was incredibly high-spirited, and wild too. But she was kind-hearted to a fault and was able to emotional and feel empathy towards anyone and anything. We were partners, and I even took to calling her my big sister.

The only other companion that I would frequently see around was a shifty-eyed wolf. It looked like many of the other wolves that wander around with its solid silver/gray fur, but what made him special was his crystal green eyes. Most wolves had blue or black eyes, yet he had green. According to Yaseika, she found him one day, barely a year old, but he was injured, most likely abandoned by the rest of his pack for being weak and different. So she took him in and raised him like he should have been. By the time I met him, he was already a large and bulky wolf, fiercely protecting his master and friend. His name was Striker. Things were fantastic. I was living with Igneel and my sister, had a wolf to call my friend, and our lives were perfect.

Then, just after I turned 5 I think, in the year X771, something changed.

I didn't notice it at the time, but looking back, I realize that Igneel and Yaseika were becoming incredibly worried and agitated. In fact, they would argue pretty frequently. To this day, I don't know what they were arguing about, but it must have been important. One night, Igneel left to take care of something, maybe something to do with the other dragons. Yaseika and Striker were watching over me, as I was pretty sick at the time. She was about 18 at the time, and while outwardly she appeared the same, I could see a dangerous dark look in her eyes that I will never forget. Striker seemed to rarely ever look away from Yaseika, a troubled expression on his face. I was about to fall asleep when Yaseika whispered something to me. I remember exactly what she said to this day.

She whispered, "Natsu? What would you do if I disappeared?"

That jerked me awake pretty quickly and I responded, "I would search for you to the ends of Earthland. Just like when we play hide-and-seek." We had made a promise to each other when I was about 4 that if the other was missing, we would both do whatever we could in order to reunite.

Yaseika's expression didn't change and she put her forehead to mine, our traditional way of showing our devotion to each other, "No matter what happens Natsu, know that I will always be thinking of you." She pulled out a cup from behind her back and said, "Drink this. It will help you feel better faster. Then we can fight again, just like we used to." She had me at 'feel better' and I chugged down the contents of the cup without question. I started feeling really tired, and the last thing that I remember from that night is watching Yaseika leave our homely cave.

When I woke up late the next day, I saw Igneel towards the entrance of the cave, looking out with a sad look upon his face. I didn't see Yaseika or Striker, so I assumed that she took him out for an early wild training session. It was late, so it didn't seem unusual. But it was then that Igneel told me: Yaseika died last night. She attempted to use a spell that he forbade her from ever using, and it killed her. It was a few minutes before it actually settled in, and when I did realize it, I took off into the forest.

For hours upon hours I searched, calling out her name, screaming until my throat was hoarse. I even attempted to whistle for Striker too, using the call that we always used. She had to be alive, she had to. Yaseika was the greatest dragon slayer in the world. She couldn't be gone. Even when I finally returned to Igneel, exhausted beyond belief, I still couldn't believe it. She wouldn't just leave. Not after everything that we promised to do with each other someday.

It was a while before I could go back to my normal self. Sometimes, I just convinced myself that the whole thing was just a bad dream, but I would remember the scars that we gave each other from fighting. I remember the memories of us all sitting by the riverbank together, just Yaseika, Striker, and me. The times we laughed together. We cried together. And now I was alone, the last child of Igneel.

 **LUCY POV**

I could little more than just sit in shock, trying to digest everything that he said.

Natsu sighed, "About six years later, Igneel vanished too. I didn't, and still don't want to believe that he may be actually gone." He clenched his fist, "That's why I still search for him, even though in this time it's been fourteen years." He scowled, "Years later, after I joined Fairy Tail, I realized that she had put a sleeping draught in the cup. She wanted me asleep that night and something tells me that she knew something was going to happen to her that night. But for the life of me, I don't know why." He looked towards her again, "Maybe I can finally ask her."

Erza still looked hesitant about the whole thing. I think she was remembering what happened with me and Michelle, and how my mistake nearly caused the end of the world. She implored, "Natsu, are you 100% sure that this person is her? This person doesn't look a day over 19, yet if we take the last day that she was seen into account, plus the time we missed while trapped on Tenrou Island, she should be in her thirties by now."

Erza did make a valid point but I could see Natsu shake his head. He spoke softly, "I didn't believe it at first either. She didn't have those scars the last time I saw her, and her hair didn't have those red tips. She definitely didn't have an eyepatch." His voice cracked, "But otherwise she looks identical to when I last saw her. She's even wearing similar clothing and smells the same."

He pointed to her wrist, "That's a bracelet that Igneel made for her. It's made out of his scales. I helped him as much as I could, but he did most of the work. She used to have a scarf like mine too but I'm not sure what happened to it. But she said that she would always keep it on her to show how much she appreciated it."

Erza's expression darkened but she didn't say anything else. I could tell that she wasn't completely convinced, but Natsu's expression and changes in emotion showed that we were treading on thin ice. She didn't dare push the issue. She might be able to defeat Natsu, but she didn't want to unnecessarily endanger all of the civilians.

It was then that the sun chose to begin peaking over the horizon, bathing the entire room in a soft golden light. A chime emanated from outside and almost immediately afterwards, sounds began to filter through the open window. Wendy dashed to the windowsill and shouted, "The people are coming outside!"

Just then, an unfamiliar sound rang inside of the room. Happy cried out, "She's waking up!" Whipping my head to see her, I watched as a soft groan left her throat, her mouth opening slightly to reveal slightly pointed canines and she began shifting her weight around the bed. Her expression tensed with pain before her eye slowly opened, revealing a startlingly lilac colored eye, dazed from the after-effects of unconsciousness. It was dilated slightly, just like Natsu's, and it was clear that she at least had some physical traits of a dragon slayer.

Her voice cracked, almost as though she had not used it in years, "Where…where am I?" Her visible eye lost that cloudiness and widened, "Why am I here in the hotel? I shouldn't be here."

Gray said, "Take it easy. We don't mean you any trouble. You were in pretty rough shape."

I spoke gently, "You've been unconscious for a while now. We didn't know…?" I trailed off. As we were speaking, she looked warily around the room, looking at each person until she froze, her gaze facing Natsu. She breathed sharply and began to shake. Her jaw dropped open and she looked on the verge of tears and she brought up a hand to cover her mouth.

She whispered, "Little brother…Natsu…?"

 **So if you haven't figured it out, Yaseika is an OC of mine. I hope you like her and she will be significantly more developed in future chapters. Hope you all stick around but I might not be posting for a little while. Getting to be too busy. But I will post more chapters, maybe around Thanksgiving?**


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six: The Fire Dragon Children

 **WENDY POV**

Seeing Yaseika, as she was called, on the verge of tears in front of me almost caused me to tear up. Her left hand slowly lifted itself from her side, and reached out towards Natsu's face, hesitant to touch it. Skin met skin and a low gasp left Yaseika's mouth. She murmured, "No…It can't be…" She said it so quietly, it seemed that only Natsu and I heard her.

Before any of us could speak any further, the door burst open, and the mayor bustled in. He was out of breath, but at the sight of us, he readjusted his composure. His eyes settled on Yaseika and his eyes beamed brightly, "Ah! It appears that you have succeeded in your night mission. You have brought the Fire Dragon Heiress back to us safe and sound!"

All of our jaws dropped in unison and Gray gasped, "Wait a minute. Are you saying…? She was what we were after all of this time?!"

Mr. Yaoren looked very perplexed at our shocked expressions. He said, "You didn't know?" He waved his hands at the very confused looking girl on the bed, "She has been named the Fire Dragon Heiress in our city of Fauna. She is incredibly precious to us, as she has acted as our protector for nearly fifteen years."

We all turned back to her, only to be met by her dumbstruck face. She whispered, "I'm sorry sir, but I don't know who you are." She turned towards me, "I don't know who any of you are besides Natsu and I don't even know what day it is," She pointed to Natsu, "He looks so much older than before."

Erza turned to the mayor and asked him, "When did Yaseika arrive?"

He answered, "Like I said, she has helping to protect us all for nearly fifteen years. She first arrived at the gate in the year X777."

The girl gasped at hearing that, "I don't understand! It should be the year X771! That's when…" she trailed off.

Sweat dropped from everybody's head and Carla asked nervously, "Excuse me miss. Who are you exactly?"

The girl calmly replied, "My name is Yaseika Dragneel, adopted daughter of Igneel, the Fire Dragon." Her entire body tensed, "Why am I here? Why does Natsu look so much older!? Where's Igneel?!" Her voice was growing more agitated and I could tell that she felt threatened.

Erza then kindly asked the mayor to leave the room. If we had any further questions for him we could seek him out. I could tell that whatever we were about to hear might be important, and it would only complicate things if the mayor was here.

I spoke calmly to Yaseika, even though my heart felt as though it was trying to beat out of my chest, "We found you out in the woods, you were unconscious. Can you tell us the last thing that you remember?"

Yaseika's eyebrows narrowed and she said, "I remember leaving a cave. Natsu was asleep. Striker was walking by my side." Her hand went to her head, "That's when I found them."

Natsu finally spoke, "Them? Who are you talking about?"

Yaseika began to shake yet again, but no tears fell. She spoke coolly, "The enemies of Igneel, the Black Dragon and Black Wizard."

It became so quiet that you could hear a pin drop from outside.

Happy began to hyperventilate, "Wait, so you went up against…Acnologia _and_ Zeref?!" No doubt, we were all remembering what happened when we attempted to just go up against the dragons following the Grand Magic Games, as well as what happened when Acnologia toyed with us on Tenrou Island. He was incredibly strong, but to go up against Acnologia and Zeref must have been suicidal.

Yaseika flinched at Happy so blatantly speaking their names and her eye flickered around the room as if searching for something. While her voice remained virtually emotionless, a dark feeling spread through me as she spoke coldly, "Don't throw those names around so casually. They are so powerful that their names alone can conceivably summon them."

I had never heard of such a thing, but I didn't say a word. Lucy cried out, "How in the heck did you manage to get out of that alive?"

Yaseika briefly touched the ornate eyepatch that was covering her left eye and her visible eye clouded over, going into a bland trance, "Barely alive, as far as I can tell." She spoke, without any break or feeling in her tone, "I fought against them as hard as I could. I remember Acnologia primarily being my main target as Zeref tended to remain in the shadows. I attacked with everything I had, but in retaliation, he took my eye."

She looked out the window to the street where a happy family was walking, "I knew that if I didn't do something soon, I was going to die. I wouldn't be able to complete my task. I had already broken Igneel's request and trust in me, so I didn't hesitate to go even further." She brought her knees up to her chest, "So I used a Dragon Slayer Forbidden Art."

The others looked at each other in confusion, but I knew exactly what she was talking about and I gasped. Natsu looked towards me and the expression in his eyes took my breath away. He looked unbelievably calm, yet furious at the same time. Carla tugged on my arm and asked, "What is it child? Do you know what Yaseika is talking about?"

I nodded, "Yeah, Grandeeney wrote about it in the journal that the Edolas Grandeeney gave to me," referencing Porlyusica, "When she wrote down the process for the Sky Dragon Slayer Secret Arts, she briefly mentioned the Dragon Slayer Forbidden Arts. She didn't explain how it is completed, but apparently it is one of the most powerful dragon slayer magic techniques in existence. Even the dragons didn't really talk about it."

Happy raised his hand, "I don't see the problem. Yaseika used a spell that was incredibly powerful in order to defeat some of the most powerful beings in Earthland. What's wrong with that?"

Yaseika blankly stared but said nothing so I continued, "Forbidden Arts are only to be used as a last resort, because the amount of magic it releases comes at a great cost."

I looked towards Gray and his eyes widened in understanding, "Using that kind of magic kills the caster as well. It's like a Dragon Slayer version of Iced Shell."

I nodded, "Yes, exactly. So by all logic," I turned back to Yaseika, who's only sign of movement was blinking, "She should be dead."

Finally Yaseika spoke, continuing in the same tone as if she hadn't been silent all of this time, "I attempted to use the spell, but then something stopped me from completing it. Next thing I remember, I woke up here."

Lucy said, "But that doesn't make any sense! According to the mayor, you have been here for nearly fifteen years. How can you forget something like that?"

Erza looked to be deep in thought when she finally said, "Perhaps it is similar to what happened to us on Tenrou Island. Since she did not complete the spell, a possible side-effect was that her mind was frozen in time, while her body continued to live. She only came to her senses because of what was going on out in that laboratory. But it brings up another question, how did her body survive the ordeal?"

None of us had an answer to that question. We explained briefly what happened since the year X775, with the dragons' disappearance, and Fairy Tail, and our own experiences with dragons.

Afterwards, around midday, we began to discuss what needed to be done now. After much deliberation, it was decided that we would collect the reward for completing the job and would bring Yaseika back home to Magnolia. Natsu didn't want to leave Yaseika behind so after discussing it with the mayor, he eventually agreed. Mr. Yaoren didn't want to part with his precious Fire Dragon Heiress, but with Natsu fighting back, Mr. Yaoren decided that it wasn't worth it.

He escorted us back to the train station. Almost instantly after boarding the train, Natsu began to dry heave, with me apologizing as I had used most of my magic to help Yaseika. Yaseika surprisingly though, while she did look a little peaked, otherwise looked completely fine. She was staring out the window at the passing landscape with emotionless eyes. It looked like the others and I all wanted to ask her more questions, but she appeared to be in her own little world, so we didn't bother her. To wake up and realize that you no longer were in your own timeline must have been pretty shell-shocking. It was like what happened to us after Tenrou, but she had been "asleep" for twice as long. Her foster father missing and her foster brother all grown up. It would shock anybody.

Before long, it was early evening and we were all looking up at the broad sign of our beloved Fairy Tail guild. We burst in through the doors and were immediately bombarded with questions about Yaseika. When we revealed that she was not only a dragon slayer, but a sister-figure to Natsu, most of the members fainted out of fear and amazement.

 _Two Natsus? What kind of chaos is bound to come from this?_

Overall, Yaseika appeared to be indifferent about the whole situation. She wasn't reacting to anything and it was beginning to make me nervous. She didn't look in awe, or confused or anything. Instead, it was just a blank slate.

Finally, we found Master Makarov and First Master Mavis waiting for us. At the sight of Yaseika, Mavis's eyes widened briefly before returning back to her usual smiling expression. Yaseika was not as secret about it. Breaking her unspoken vow of silence, she whispered hurriedly to Natsu, "Who is the little girl standing by the old man over there?" It was the first time that she had shown emotion since when she appeared to be on the verge of tears earlier.

Natsu started and he said, "That's our First Master Mavis. She died many years ago, but her spirit still lingers around. Only people with the Fairy Tail guild mark should be able to see her…" I could see Erza's eyes narrow slightly but she kept to herself. Natsu said, "If you can see her without the mark that means that you were totally meant to be in Fairy Tail with me!"

Master Makarov was eyeing up and down Yaseika, taking in her overall appearance. He seemed to pause slightly at the sight of the eyepatch, but all he said was, "Welcome to Fairy Tail my child!" He took the magical stamp which held the mark and gestured for Yaseika to point where she wanted it. For a moment, she did not appear to have understood the movement, but then she finally pointed to her right bicep, exactly where Natsu had his guild mark. Even as she did this, she looked dazedly in Mavis's direction.

A stamp later, the proud Fairy Tail mark appeared in black upon her skin, giving her overall appearance a more serious look, which caused shudders to travel down my spine. She physically didn't remind me of anybody, maybe Gajeel in terms of the aura. But honestly I think Gajeel is pretty cool. He seemed scary at first, but he is such a softie at heart. Yaseika has yet to show that opposite side. I would also have to say that she was acting like an even colder version of Rogue, the shadow dragon slayer of Sabertooth. While he initially appeared to be relatively emotionless, he eventually showed that he was very compassionate towards those he called his friends. Maybe Yaseika was going to do the same in the future.

But this much I could tell, while Natsu seemed to be oblivious to everything around him, Erza doesn't trust Yaseika fully yet, and I have to agree with her. There is something about the female dragon slayer that bothers me. She's hiding something. And I know Erza is determined to find out what it is.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven: Suspicious Actions

 **LUCY POV**

Yaseika's just gotten her Fairy Tail guild mark and was sitting down with us at one of the tables. Surprisingly, Natsu hasn't already started another brawl and that actually made me nervous. I know Natsu told us his story with Yaseika, but her appearance has literally changed his personality. And I'm not sure that I like it.

Yaseika was sitting quietly, appearing to be deep in thought when First Master came over. She stood next to Yaseika and everybody at the table fell silent. First Master then asked, "Yaseika…isn't it? Can you come with me for a moment? I would like to get to know you a little better." She beamed, yet for a moment, something else flickered over her face. Sympathy maybe?

Yaseika eyed First warily but she stood silently and followed First Master outside. As soon as she was gone, Macao came up to me and muttered in my ear, "Some sister Natsu's got. Can't seem to do anything but frown and stare." He sighed and walked towards the bar to get a refill. I turned my head towards Natsu but he didn't indicate that he had heard a word of what Macao just said. Natsu was playfully arguing with Happy about some unknown topic. But I couldn't help but agree with Macao. She was so different from how Natsu described her. She didn't to appear kind and compassionate at all. Instead, she was emotionless and didn't give off any enthusiasm about anything.

I was going to figure out how to breach this topic to Natsu when he jumped up and said, "Come on Lucy! Let's go to your apartment!"

With those two sentences, any words I was about to say died in my throat and I fumed, "Natsu come on! You have your own house. Why can't you sleep there?"

He began whining about how my bed was more comfortable and we found ourselves back into our usual banter. Before long, it was way after dark and I was exhausted. I managed to stumble my way home, not without nearly falling into the river, and crashed onto my bed. It felt like 5 minutes later when I heard Natsu come into my room. I threw a pillow at him, "Go sleep at your own house! Aren't you and your sister staying there?" I assumed that she would go to stay with him until she found her own place.

He whined, "That's what I came over here for. Yaseika isn't at home! I can't find her."

I woke up slightly at hearing that. While Yaseika was new to the city and all though, "I'm sure she's fine. That's probably what First Master and her ended up figuring out when they were talking earlier. We haven't seen her since then, so maybe she set up her new home." I rolled over to the other side, "If you don't mind, I'm going back to sleep. If you stay, you need to be quiet."

I heard him grumble slightly at that, but he did remain quiet…as he crawled into bed with me. An old part of me wanted to Lucy-kick him for that but then I remembered something. After what happened in Crocus, I wanted nothing more than to have Natsu by my side, always. He risked everything to save me from the psychopathic Future Rogue. I suppose him having my bed is alright for now.

I smiled slightly as I allowed myself to finally drift off into sleep.

The next morning arrived peacefully enough. The sky was overcast, threatening to pour gallons of rain on our heads. Still, that didn't stop Natsu from being his normal self at the guild. Yaseika was still missing, but he didn't seem to be worried about that at the moment. I'm totally okay with her not being her. She's kind of creepy. Natsu tore off a poster from the job board and held it out to me, beaming brightly, "Come on Luce! This'll be fun!"

My eyebrow twitched, "We just got back from a job yesterday and you really want to go on another one?"

He grinned mischievously, "Well of course. How can we have so many adventures if we are just sitting on our butts here? Besides, you still need rent money right?"

Crap, he got me. He must have heard me this morning as I was counting my available funds and I found that despite the job we just completed, I was still short for the payment due next week. Damn you Natsu and blackmailing me with the fact that I'm still broke.

I sighed and stood to my feet and backing out, I nearly tripped over something that was blocking my way. The person murmured a curt apology, and without looking up, I knew exactly who it was. I heard Natsu cry out, "Big Sis! What happened to you?"

Finally allowing my eyes to rise, I too was taken aback at her state. While she still wore the same clothes as yesterday, a major difference was that she had a couple additions to the overall outfit. A red quiver was strapped across her back, the front belt strap drawing across her upper torso, accentuating her feminine figure. Inside the quiver were at least 25 arrows, all of them an assortment of colors. Two large handles also stuck out the top of the Romanesque harness, creating a tall X extending from the top of her back. They appeared to connect to daggers of some sort, but I couldn't be sure. Her Roman-looking clothing had a combination of black, purple, and yellow, giving her a dark ethereal look.

Yesterday, I could barely sense any kind of magical ability from her, but now, she seemed to be streaming it. Though, it did seem incredibly different from Natsu's magic. Instead, Yaseika's energy seemed to be a combination of different things. I couldn't pinpoint it.

What surprised me most however was her physical appearance. Her entire body was covered in dirt and leaves and other parts of nature stuck out from her hair in all directions. Her hair kept its wavy quality, but now some of the blue red-tipped hair covered half of her face, primarily covering her black eyepatch with a purple and yellow symbol on it. With her hair like this, she almost just appeared to be a normal battered Fairy Tail member. But her visible iris-colored eye remained blank and stared curiously at me for a moment.

She finally said, "I slept outside in the surrounding woods last night." I could hear Natsu gasp when she continued, "I feel most comfortable outside, so why waste time trying to find a home here?"

I muttered under my breath, "Maybe because you look and smell like crap? Body odor and overall cleanliness are a part of accepted society."

Then Natsu's eyes sparked wide and he said, "Hey Sis! I just came up with a fantastic idea."

I realized then what Natsu was going to offer and it took all I had to not shut him up. He exclaimed, "Why don't you come on the job with us? It can be all of us together, me, Lucy, and Happy."

I groaned internally, but what I did not expect to see was the hesitance. Yaseika didn't appear to be nervous, but she didn't seem keen on agreeing to Natsu's request. Finally she muttered, "I don't see why not."

Natsu flashed his signature smile and said, "So let's go!" He grabbed one of my hands and one of hers and sprinted out, with Happy crying out behind us to wait for him.

About twenty minutes later, we were on a train heading towards Zenthia with Natsu, as usual, holding his stomach and curling up on himself. This time though, his head somehow found itself on my lap. Unconsciously, I began to stroke his hair gently, rubbing his scalp. A moment later, I heard a contented sigh and Natsu stopped fidgeting and instead relaxed instantly. Then he was out like a light.

Looking up, I could see Yaseika yet again in the window seat, looking out at the passing landscape. However, while before she looked as though she was deep in thought, now her expression looked grim, but exhausted, as though she hasn't rested for years. For a split second, I felt pity for her. As though she felt my staring, her eye flickered to mine and clouded over, staring unblinkingly. I quickly turned away and hoped she hadn't seen my staring. Then I remembered how creepy she was acting earlier and dismissed her previous expression. Erza still didn't trust this person. There's no way I can either.

 **YASEIKA POV**

Seeing Natsu sleep peacefully in front of me caused my heart to squeeze tightly in my chest. But then I remembered what he was to become and what my mission was. Even though he truly did care about me, especially when I said that I slept outside, I can't allow myself to be distracted. It hurts to be lying to him like this. But it is all for his own good.

I only agreed to this job in the first place because I want to see if my suspicion is right. I'm not completely sure, but this would be the time to determine whether or not I think it is true. If I'm right, then things are going as _he_ said they would. And that isn't a good thing.

It took everything I had to not let my intentions or emotions show on my face. As far as I can tell, none of Natsu's friends/guild mates particularly like me, which means at least that is going according to plan. I'm worried about what's going to happen next but there isn't anything I can do about it. All I can do now is to fight and hope that Natsu will forgive me for lying to him. Someday.

 **Okay so we finally get some insight on what my OC is thinking. Now most of you are probably so confused, like "Is she a bad person? What the heck is she talking about?" I promise, everything will end up being explained throughout the story. However, it probably won't be for a VERY long time as I need the story to develop first.**

 **I'm so grateful for the wonderful comments I'm getting for this story and am glad that you enjoy it!**


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight: Where I Belong

 **YASEIKA POV**

On the train ride, I noticed that the one Natsu calls Lucy or Luce stare at me for a few moments. I could tell that she and my brother have become very close during their time in Fairy Tail. It was then that I recalled my conversation with the First Master Miss Mavis. Touching my eyepatch, I thought over what we talked about.

*flashback to yesterday*

 _Miss Mavis led me outside to supposedly talk to me about some unknown topic. As soon as the door closed behind me, I spoke first, "You're dead."_

 _She nodded, significantly more seriously than I expected. She spoke in a sad tone, "But you are just like me."_

 _I was confused, "I'm not dead."_

 _She continued, "But you are the same as I was when I was alive." I froze in place. She couldn't possibly mean…_

 _She nodded, "While I believe that the specifics are slightly different, the general idea is the same. We are like sisters in that respect."_

 _I didn't reply as she asked me, "What do you plan to do?"_

 _I coolly replied, "I'm going to disappear. I've done it before. I can do it again."_

 _She resisted, "While I do understand why you want to do this, I do not believe that this is the best course of action." My frown deepened and she finished, "If you leave now, Natsu may possibly be permanently scarred mentally. Who knows what the effects are going to be."_

 _Her words gave me pause. Was this the choice that_ _ **he**_ _told me I have to make? Or is it something else? Or is it both?_

 _Miss Mavis sighed, "I know that it can be hard, but clearly you have managed to live somewhat around others for many years. I believe that your best option is to remain here, to help Natsu become stronger." I raised my eyebrow and she bent her head, "My choices will come back to haunt me soon and Natsu needs to be ready to face the threat when it comes."_

 _I tensed as something inside of me hummed in glee. I knew what that most likely meant. If I stuck around, I might be able to end everything sooner than I had originally anticipated._

 _I turned away from her and started at the sight of the sun hanging low in the sky, on the verge of setting. I said, "I'll think about what you said."_

 _I was about to take off when she said, "Yaseika, I know that this is your decision. But I think it might be wise for you to tell your guild mates, your new family and friends, about the particulars around what happened. I know that you didn't tell the complete truth before. They deserve to know. They will understand."_

 _My hair fell over my eyes and I muttered coldly, "I may be officially part of this guild, but none of these people are my friends. They are human, they are fickle. Therefore, they cannot be trusted." With that, I dashed away and eventually found myself in the forest once again._

*end flashback*

I rubbed my fingers over the bracelet on my arm, a sort of nervous tic of mine that has developed. After we had talked, I had returned to Fauna overnight to reclaim my few possessions, my weapons primarily. I couldn't bring them with me initially as it would have raised a lot of suspicion on my previous story. No. I needed to do things on my own schedule. I need to create my own path to follow. I couldn't let anybody stop me, not even that intimidating looking redhead.

Once the others found out the truth about me, hopefully it will be after I complete my task. That way I won't be around to hear their cries of fear and hatred. Echoes of insults reverberated in my head. Shaking myself out of my thoughts, I realized that we were slowing down. I looked over to see Lucy open her eyes drowsily and Natsu let out a short wail as he tumbled out of the seat. Years of experience taught me that I couldn't laugh at this so I didn't say anything as I helped the two of them up with Happy doubled over in laughter.

Getting off the train, we found ourselves facing an open town, with no security compared to Fauna. People were bustling about all over the place, yet none of them appeared to be afraid. They were all happy and at peace. I bristled slightly. If only I could have that kind of life available to me…

I was jerked out of my thoughts when I realized that we had stopped in front of a large-looking mansion. Despite its intimidating size, it didn't appear to be creepy or anything, suggesting dutiful housekeepers. A finely dressed young boy answered the door. With a single glance, he gestured for us to follow him inside. We eventually ended up in front of a large door, which was opened by two other servants that had been flanking it. My eye flickered about warily. Inside the room, there stood a man and woman, the female weeping silently while the man looked close behind.

He raised his head at our entrance and I watched as an emotion I had nearly forgotten crossed his face, lighting up his expression. Hope.

He reached his hand out in greeting to each of us, grimacing slightly as he shook my hand and he spoke, "Welcome. Thank you for coming so quickly." He gestured for us to sit down across from him, and the woman who I assumed to be his wife.

The man introduced himself, "My name is Akio Kimura and this is my wife Kimi. We called you here because our daughter is currently missing." He pulled out a picture from his pocket and handed it to Lucy. With a quick glance, I could see a brightly smiling brown haired girl, no more than eight years old. Mr. Kimura continued, "We suspect that this violent gang group present in the city may have something to do with it as they have been sending us threats for the past couple of years. We didn't think anything of it." His voice cracked, "But then yesterday we woke up to find her gone."

Mrs. Kimura spoke for the first time and wailed, "My little girl! Our precious princess has been taken from us!" I watched as Lucy's face flinched slightly at the woman's statement but she didn't say anything.

Natsu said calmly, "Don't worry about it. We'll get your daughter back no problem."

Lucy shook herself out of her stupor and she asked, "I know that it's what you think, but are you sure that this gang that you mentioned took your daughter?"

Mr. Kimura replied, "Yes." He presented a small piece of paper to Lucy. She opened it and gasped slightly. Natsu took it from her and his expression darkened immensely. He handed it to me and I read mentally.

 _We have taken your precious daughter from you._

 _If you aren't willing to cooperate with us, we won't cooperate with you._

 _You work to take away what we love, why should you have what you love?_

Attached to the bottom of the paper was a picture of the same girl but this time, she was blindfolded and gagged, a knife pressed to her throat. A symbol was painted onto her cheek in green. Another two symbols were written in blue on her forehead.

I said, "This symbol on her cheek, it's Japanese. It reads 'shi' which means death. On her forehead it reads 'Fukushu' meaning revenge." Mrs. Kimura looked at me with such a withering look, I fell silent again. I didn't mean to be so matter-of-fact about it, but I felt that the others probablyshould know what the words mean.

Mr. Kimura said, "Those are the symbols that act as their motto, so to speak. So I know that this is their work." He took Lucy's hands in his own and fell to his knees, "Please, bring our little Ayumi home. She means everything to us."

Lucy's face hardened and she helped Mr. Kimura to his feet and said, "Don't worry. We're Fairy Tail wizards!"

Natsu punched his hand, "We'll be back soon. Just give me something of Ayumi's that I can use to track her." Mrs. Kimura threw her hands up to her mouth, closed her eyes and murmured something under her breath. Then she snapped her fingers in a Z-formation over Lucy. Then she did the same over Natsu and Happy. She bowed stiffly to me, but that was all. Mr. Kimura drew his wife back and looked a little embarrassed and a little annoyed at her.

Internally, I stiffened slightly but I didn't react otherwise. What Mrs. Kimura just did was a common practice in some more rural areas. People believed that prayers helped to protect those about to go off to fight. For her to not do the same to me is considered a great insult to the person as it means that the caster does not care as much what happened to the person. While there isn't any proof that these prayers actually work, it still was offensive in a way.

With this in mind, I followed behind the rest of the group as the married couple led us up a flight of stair to where the girl usually sleeps. I don't belong anywhere around people. I belong with nature. No I don't. Even nature rejects me. I don't belong anywhere. I don't deserve to even be here.

 **So whoever reads the manga may have an idea of what I was referencing during the conversation between Mavis and my OC, but it is still not revealed to what extent. Also anything to do with Yaseika's past, or even her dialogue or POV, is going to be purposefully vague or contradictory. This is on purpose and will be explained later.**


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine: Completing the First Job

 **LUCY POV**

Walking into the little girl's room, my heart dropped from my chest to low in my stomach. The room was painted a very faint pink, the bed in the center of the room with covers of a complimenting purple. Next to the bed was a very elaborate looking vanity, with a floor-length mirror, showing each of us as we passed by it. Natsu inhaled deeply and immediately reached inside the vanity, without asking permission first. Mrs. Kimura and I shook slightly and paled. A moment later, his hand had found a hairbrush and he gently sniffed it and put it back in its original place. That's Natsu for you.

What surprised me more was that Yaseika did not make any movement towards finding a scent. If anything, for the past couple of minutes, she's been trying to stay as far away from people as possible. I also noticed that Mrs. Kimura didn't do the same 'prayer' thing over her as she did with the rest of us. Does that mean she suspects something bad from Yaseika?

Natsu said, "Alright, I got a scent. Time to start searching." He nodded towards the parents, "We'll be back soon."

With that we left the Kimura's estate and started walking down the street. Natsu and Happy led the group, with me falling in step shortly behind them. Yaseika though was back to being her quiet self. I did find it a little odd how she recognized Japanese characters. If she had been raised by a dragon, how the heck did she learn Japanese? Even Levy-chan has spent years learning the language. Where did Yaseika learn it?

After a couple of hours of searching, we found ourselves, yet again, in a forest. Seems that a lot of bad guys have their headquarters far away from the general public. Finally, Natsu froze in front of us. I looked at his face to see that his eyes have dilated and his eyes have gained their signature determination, signaling that we were close. It's something that I've learned to recognize over the past months. We have gotten to the point that we know each other's strengths and weaknesses, as well as our limits. Even though Natsu does seem mega-powered, especially after his Second Origin, even he has a limit. He was totally out of it after the Grand Magic Games and barely used magic in the weeks following the events orbiting around the Eclipse Gate. We have become ideal partners for each other in that sense.

He took off deeper into the thicket, crying out, "Let's go, guys!"

Happy cried out, "Aye sir!"

I struggled to keep up, but when we finally stopped running, I found a rundown building, barely even a single story tall. It didn't look particularly large, not even the size of the guild hall, not the renovated one but the one we came back to after Tenrou Island. I couldn't imagine that this would be the headquarters of a gang, even for a small one. But there was a little girl's life at risk, so appearances didn't matter. If Natsu sniffs Ayumi out here, then here is where we need to do our job.

Gingerly opening the door, I found that I couldn't see a thing. It was completely pitch black, but I could sense that somebody was inside. I called out, "Hello? Ayumi? Are you here?" I heard the sound of a muffled scream, and I took a step inside. White filled my vision. Blinking my eyes, I struggled to open them to drop my jaw open.

Instead of the blackness from before, I found myself in an open arena sort of setting, the seats empty, but with dozens of dark-cloaked figures in the center. I could hear Natsu crying out in the distance, yet I could not see him. He screamed my name and I could hear the sound of crashing, and I called out, "Natsu!? Happy!?" I pointed my finger at the cloaked figures, hoping that I looked the slightest bit intimidating, "Who are you? Where are my friends?"

The one on the far left cackled, "Oh look. A female mage. What were the Kimuras' thinking, sending such a pretty-looking thing our way?"

Another one towards the right crooned, "Poor thing. She looks so terrified, about to collapse at the mere idea of facing all of us."

My voice cracked and attempted to remain strong, "I've faced stronger things than you. You don't scare me." Although mentally I was beginning to panic. I have faced strong enemies, but Natsu had always been by my side. Now he was nowhere to be found. I gently rubbed my keys, feeling them hum in response. I suspected that I would need them now more than ever.

As I was thinking, the group of people slowly approached me and simultaneously, they untied their cloaks and revealed themselves. With a shock, I realized, "You aren't a gang! You are a dark guild!" I recognized some of their faces from Wanted posters that have been passed all around Fiore. Nobody could find these guys so everybody was becoming worried about their whereabouts. I couldn't believe that they had been here and just my luck, finding them by myself.

Natsu's and Happy's screams still echoed around this space. I recomposed myself and attempted to speak, "You still haven't told me. Where are my friends? Where is Ayumi?"

The one who had spoken earlier, someone who reminded me of a black-haired Laxus, smirked at my discomfort and spoke, "I brought you here for a private discussion. And the girl?" He snapped his fingers and the space in front of him briefly warped. A moment later, the terrified looking girl appeared tied up on the ground, her eyes wide in fear. But her eyes lit up at the sight of me.

With a pang, I realized that this guy had similar magic to Minerva. The memory of her torturing me caused me to shiver. I still had some faint scars from that fight, but there was one good thing that I could remember: Natsu calling out for me in anger as he watched Minerva destroy me, Natsu cooperating with Gray to catch me as I fell, Natsu swearing revenge for my sake. His actions reminded me that he would always be there in spirit for me, if he couldn't be there personally. It caused me to faintly smile at the memory, but it faded at remembering my current situation. I didn't think that he was as powerful as Minerva, but this dark guild guy could be a problem, as could all of the others.

I pulled two keys and called, "Open, gate of the lion, gate of the maiden, Leo and Virgo!" The air in front of me shimmered and a flash of golden light later, the two celestial spirits appeared in all of their glory.

Loke pushed up his sunglasses, and pushed up his sleeves, "Nice to see you again Lucy. Need me to kick their butts?"

Virgo bowed slightly and said, "Hello Princess. Do you require my assistance?"

I pulled out my Fleuve d'etoiles whip and cried, "We have to take these guys out."

The guy spoke again, "Are you serious? I control this space. I created it. Your friends are being kept out of this place. You have no chance." My heart rate spiked. Then I had an epiphany. If I defeated this guy now, I might be able to destroy this space and reunite with the others. Natsu. Happy. Heck, I'd even be happy to see his silent sister Yaseika right now.

Loke and Virgo spoke in unison, "Whatever my master says." Together, we all attacked. While I could not see what my friends were doing, I targeted the guy controlling this space. Even with the power of the fleur-de-lis, I couldn't seem to gain any ground on this guy. Finally, I was breathing heavily and I chanced a glance at Ayumi and I stopped breathing for a moment. Her eyes were closed and she was gasping. Her neck was being held up by another dark guild member, her little body dangling feet off of the floor, her hands scratching furiously at the hand suffocating her.

I was about to reach for her but then I found myself swept off of my feet. Slamming into the arena wall, I rose to my feet slowly, only to appear in front of the guy again. _He's using his magic…_ I couldn't think anything beyond that as something heavy came down on my head. It went black for a moment before I blearily opened my eyes. The man punched forcefully into my stomach, once again knocking the wind out of me. I heard Loke and Virgo cry out and I turned to them only to see them fade away. I felt my own spirit fade slightly at the thought that I didn't even manage to defeat one of the guys.

Then I could hear the black-haired man say, "I think it's time we let in our other trespassers." Somehow, I managed to rise to my feet in order to promptly kick him in his jewels. His eyes widened sharply and he fell over himself to the ground. A cheap shot, I know, but it managed to do the job. The entire place in front of me shimmered, and a few moments later, we found ourselves in a wide open field in the forest that we had begun in. The strength that I had possessed previously seemed to vanish instantly, and I fell onto my back facing the afternoon sky, causing pain to shoot through my temple.

I heard Happy cry out, "Lucy!" I could feel my upper body being lifted up by strong arms and Natsu's worried expression appeared in front of me.

He touched my face gently, wiping something away, looking aghast, "Mavis Luce, you're bleeding really badly!" Really? I didn't even notice it before. Now that he mentioned something, I could feel a wetness on my face that hadn't been there before. He cried out, "What the hell happened to you?" I could feel his body beginning to heat up in agitation and anger.

I could barely speak right now, but I managed to say, "Ayumi…she's in trouble. Save her…" His eyes darkened at my words and he looked up to finally notice the dark guild mages surrounding us. Ayumi was currently still being held up by a dark guild member, but no longer by her neck. Now she was held up by her restraints on her arms. Her eyes looked tired, but she seemed to be doing better than myself. Natsu seemed hesitant to leave my side but Happy said, "I'll look after her, Natsu. You do your thing!"

With that Natsu nodded and prepared to fight. He spoke coldly, "Anybody that hurts a little girl or one of my guild mates has got another thing coming." He punched his fist, and a fire erupted around him in a circle, "You've messed with Fairy Tail. It will be your last mistake." Happy lifted me into a sitting position so I could watch the action as Natsu lunged forward, attacking everyone from the front.

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed faint movement. Turning my head, I noticed a crouching figure, only to finally notice that it was Yaseika. I breathed a sigh of relief, but it didn't last for long. The members that Natsu had missed in his full frontal attack, charged towards us. Yaseika wasn't looking in that direction and Happy cried out in warning.

Everything that happened for the next few minutes seemed to happen in slow motion. Yaseika raised her gaze and ripped off the bracelet on her wrist. It flew into the air, flipping countless times, glowing brighter until finally, when the light faded, another object, much larger than the bracelet fell into Yaseika's hands. After a moment, I realized that the object she was holding was now a white bow, covered in the same scale pattern that her bracelet previously had.

With no hesitation, she pulled an arrow out from her quiver, a red-tipped one and shot it accurately in the center of the group of enemies. With contact, an explosion of fire burst out of nowhere. Before I could even blink, she had already notched another arrow into her bow, this one with a yellow-tip. She dashed into the fray, dodging magical attacks after another, flipping over to shoot the next arrow off while upside-down in midair. This one didn't even touch anything. It flew overhead and a great bolt of lightning was summoned, shocking several of the members.

I quietly gasped, "Oh my gosh…how is she doing that?"

Happy shook behind me, his voice wavering, "It looks like that those arrows that she has are charged with magical lacrima, each color providing a different type of magic." As he spoke, she had shot off another one, a blue-tip, causing a mini-monsoon, not unlike what Juvia herself could do. Sure the attacks were weaker, but overall, Yaseika's attacks were so varied, it was hard to judge what she was going to do next.

She landed on a tall rock nearby and scanned over the general area. She pressed something on the bow and it glowed again, shrinking back into the scale bracelet. She pulled out one of the two blades holstered on her back, showing a Chinese Dao. The blade was curved slightly from her hand to where the tip rested on the ground. A moment later, Yaseika disappeared.

"What?" I asked weakly.

Happy pointed, "Look! Over by Natsu!" I turned towards Natsu, realizing that as he had been fighting, I had nearly forgotten about him as I was entranced by Yaseika's grace with the bow. A flash of blue later, I saw Yaseika knock out a member with the butt of her sword that was about to catch Natsu unawares. He turned in surprise, but grinned at the sight of his sister. Together, they charged towards the last few members.

While I didn't see when Yaseika had holstered her sword, it was clear as they charged together that Natsu and Yaseika had both been trained under the same master. Charging together, they mirrored each other's movements, swinging each other around to change sides, to provide for a stronger attack. Any doubts that I had previously had vanished. She might be different from how she was with Natsu and Igneel, but this proves that they had trained together.

However, as they were finishing up, I noticed something a little strange. Natsu, even when punching and kicking, had produced flame to surround his hands and feet in order to increase his attack strength. What bothered me was that Yaseika was attacking with even more power than Natsu, yet I didn't see any kind of fire around her at all. She was knocking these guys out with just pure strength and brawn. Just how powerful is she? And why isn't she using her dragon slayer magic?

I managed to stand on my own and I made my way to a collapsed figure a little ways away. Happy was hovering nearby, just to make sure that I didn't overdo anything, but I picked up the small figure that was trembling. I pulled her restraints apart and whispered gently, "Ayumi, are you alright?" At that, the girl began to sob loudly. She jumped up and hugged me tightly, causing me to wince slightly as that punch the guy gave me earlier really did do some damage. But I softly stroked her soft hair, calmly trying to soothe her, telling her that she was going to be alright and she would be home soon.

I looked up to see Natsu looking at me, relief and worry prevalent on his face. However, I barely even noticed it. I instead focused on Yaseika who was standing about 20 feet behind him, her face darkened and her chest rising and falling in time with her breathing. She didn't look to be having trouble during the fight, yet now she looked like she had been suffocated and she needed air desperately. I could see her mouthing something under her breath, but I couldn't see what it was.

Even so, we managed to complete the job. All that was left was for us to bring Ayumi home, lock these guys up, collect the reward, and then we could finally go home ourselves. But still, even as I was comforted by these thoughts, something bothered me. What was Yaseika's deal? Erza was definitely right, Yaseika was hiding something. How could she possibly know how to fight like that if all she was taught was dragon slayer magic? Why didn't she even use that magic? What is her story?


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter Ten: Feelings for One Another

 **YASEIKA POV**

I could feel Lucy's and Happy's eyes on me as I took out member after member of this "dark guild". Though really, what is considered dark at this point? Some look at me and see hope and the future. Others look at me and see nothing but a creepy presence, capable of nothing but darkness. So really…am I light or dark?

Fighting alongside Natsu did not stir any kind of emotion within me, slightly surprising I must say. No nostalgia, no happiness, nothing. Instead, all that I noticed about Natsu was that my theory was correct. It's strange to think, had I stuck around, I might instead be in Natsu's place, but there isn't anything I can do about it now. All I need to do is focus on my own task. All I need to do is not lose control. I want to be myself when I complete my mission.

Natsu appears to be incredibly protective of Lucy. After we fought the guys, I realized that he did not want to leave her side until the medics arrived as she was bleeding. I could see myself that she was going to be fine. She wouldn't be able to fight as well for a couple of days, maybe up to a week, but after that, she'll be good to go. Natsu himself should know that. But for him to get so worked up over someone like her…this could be very problematic.

After spending a couple of hours in the hospital, both for Lucy and the girl that we were after, the girl was reunited with her family. It was a long, overdramatized and really just too long of a reunion. We didn't need to be there for that. Why stick around if you know something like this is going to make you cry? Humans are strange, purposefully doing things even though it will make them cry, happy tears or no. Seeing Lucy tear up at the sight of the reunion caused my stomach to churn, and not in a good way. Turning away, I walked straight out of the hospital, only to realize that the sun was going down.

 **LUCY POV**

After spending some time in the hospital, as the doctors were checking me over, Natsu and Happy explained what had happened when I disappeared. Apparently the darkness had immediately dissipated, in fact the entire building vanished. When I mentioned how I heard them calling out to me, Natsu immediately denied it, but I thought I maybe noticed a faint blush as Happy insisted that Natsu "likes" me.

They said that they were really starting to freak out when Yaseika had actually said that I would be fine and that I would show up soon. I started slightly and looked towards her, but didn't say anything. It was odd just how much she seemed to know things that others didn't. Was that merely just through observation? Is that what happens when a human is raised to adulthood by a fire dragon? Yaseika still sat there quietly, her eyes continuing their dull look. It was shocking to see her eyes in the same state when she was fighting. She wasn't like Natsu in that case. She didn't seem to get "all fired up".

According to Happy, less than a minute later, I appeared out of thin air, shocking them beyond belief. I knew what happened afterwards.

When I explained what had happened while in the alternate space, I could see Natsu tense slightly, his hand clenching into a fist, knuckles turning white. But he smiled as he said, "Well I'm glad you are going to be okay Luce!" His eyes twinkled, yet I could still see some other emotion lingering faintly below the light. Anger? Guilt?

We were eventually visited by the Kimuras, and explained the whole thing to them. When they were finally reunited with their daughter, the emotion and relief in the room was potent. Tears threatened to fall down my face. I gasped slightly at the sight of the beyond happy girl that was in the adults arms. The gratefulness in her eyes was enough of a reward for me. What I didn't notice until later was that during this long-awaited reunion, Yaseika had slipped out of the room, and apparently out of the building according to some people in the front.

I asked Natsu about it and he frowned and said, "Big Sis said that she doesn't like hospitals." He wrinkled his nose, "I don't blame her. The smell here is overpowering. She said something about going back to get some sleep." I was confused and he said, "You were kind of out of it when she told me, so I'm not surprised you didn't hear."

He let me hang off of his shoulder slightly as we left the hospital, where we were welcomed by the brisk night air and the small sliver of the moon just visible. We got our tickets, with Natsu looking a little green about it, but he didn't complain this time. We found our compartment and settled down inside. Somehow, despite lying down in bed for most of the evening, I felt exhausted, and Natsu felt it. He said, "Train leaves in a few minutes. Get some sleep. You've been through a lot today. I'll wake you up when we get back to Magnolia." I nodded and my head fell, straight onto his shoulder. A moment later, I was out like a light.

 **NATSU POV**

Seeing Lucy fall asleep peacefully on my shoulder caused unfamiliar feelings to sweep through me. When the Lucy from the future had been murdered by the Rogue from the future, similar feelings swept through me. Except those were angrier. These were just relieved and happy. Those feelings seem to be popping up all the time ever since I met Lucy in Hargeon.

I don't understand it, but something that Igneel told me about came to mind. He had mentioned it after Yaseika had "died", about how one day, I will come to want to protect somebody more than anything. It didn't matter if I was injured in the process, just as long as that other person was safe. I think I'm feeling that way about Lucy.

I looked down at her, her breathing actually bringing me peace and calm. She had scared me to death earlier today when she disappeared into thin air. But during that madness, Yaseika had remained calm about it. Maybe she knows what I'm going through. I should ask her about it tomorrow.

 **LUCY POV**

I jerked awake as the movement of the train stopped suddenly. Sitting straight up, I stretched my bones, only to find Natsu staring at me intently. I blushed and as soon as I did that, he looked away. _What was he looking at me for?_ He outstretched his hand and I took it, him supporting me slightly as we made our way off the train.

Natsu led me to my apartment. I opened the door and expected him and Happy to barge in behind me, but I was surprised to see him looking at the ground. He said, "I want to see if I can find Yaseika. She really shouldn't be sleeping out in the woods, not while I have a house myself that I don't use." He turned away, "I'll see you later Luce. Don't stress yourself out too much." With that, he walked away.

I felt my spirits fall slightly at his words. For once, I think I wanted him to stay with me. Just to make sure that I was okay. Natsu appearing caring about me so much caused warmth to flutter in my chest. Sighing in resignation, I went upstairs into my bedroom, and sat down at my desk, confused until I realized that the ancient book that I had been reading yesterday was open to the page titled, "The Fire Dragon Heiress". I remembered then that there had been a lot of writing in this section, but I hadn't read it yet because I was distracted.

Curious, I began to read, reliving the past day's adventures in complete detail. It even captured Erza's reluctance and the guild's own feelings about Yaseika perfectly. Like Mirajane for example, the book said that Mira was hesitant about the girl, but recognizes that Yaseika has been going through an awful lot. I didn't even know that. How could this book possibly capture something that is supposedly conjured up in my mind when I had not considered it to begin with?

Finishing the last sentence, I turned the page to find yet another chapter that had filled in the once empty pages. This one was titled, "Job for Dragon Children". Not a particularly interesting title if you ask me, but I quickly became engrossed in the story-telling of today's events. It even described what Natsu and Yaseika had been experiencing in their own heads. This was just getting too weird.

It was late, and I was finally about to put the book down when I saw the next chapter, "Magic." That was when I became confused. How could this book come up with a chapter of my life that hadn't happened yet? Intrigued, I read for a little bit, only to realize that it stops in the middle. It doesn't finish. Still, through this reading I found one interesting idea…

 _"Entering the guildhall, I find that Yaseika is actually there before me. Nobody was sitting anywhere near her, almost as though there was an invisible wall around her. Then Natsu showed up. Of course, the first thing is screams is, "Big Sis! Fight me!" He charged towards the girl, only to find himself shoved into the opposite wall harshly. I winced at the sound, and gazed in fear at Yaseika: she had simply shoved him away, almost as though it was child's play."_

 _"'Hey Yaseika, why don't you use your dragonslayer magic?'_

 _'I can't. I can't figure out how.'"_

Things were getting interesting when the pages stop. Still, how can this book come up with this story, for something that hasn't ever happened? Is this book telling the future? I guess all there is for me to do now is to wait until tomorrow to see. Who knows what could happen?


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven: New Truth

 **LUCY POV**

I woke up the next morning feeling incredibly nervous. The contents that I had read in the book last night were odd. What if they turned out to be true? Does that mean that the book could tell me the whole future if I had asked it to?

And there was also the question of Natsu's odd behavior from last night. I suppose, thinking on it now, it wouldn't be that odd. He was looking out for his sister. And there was also the mystery surrounding the girl in question. It was clear that Yaseika wasn't telling us everything, but I couldn't for the life of me figure it out. Maybe it has to do with her magic question that was supposedly going to happen today.

Heading to the guild, I opened the doors to find, as prophesized, Yaseika sitting already at one of the tables, her head bent low. A moment later, I could hear fast footsteps behind me and I turned to see Natsu running furiously towards the guild hall. He burst past me, lunging towards Yaseika, screeching, "Fight me!" She barely even looked up, but she casually swung her hand towards where Natsu was flying towards her. A moment later, Natsu was flying into the opposite wall, his body crumpled slightly. While he was not unconscious, it was clear that the attack had done some damage. How can she be so strong with so little effort? She was acting as though it was child's play.

With a start, I realized that these were the thoughts that I had read about last night. It was coming true as the book stated. I went to sit down near Erza and Wendy, as they were both looking suspiciously towards the girl in question. Erza was the first to speak, "What I don't understand is how she can be so powerful, especially since she has been supposedly locked away in her mind for nearly two decades. She didn't even use a shred of her magic."

That's when I remembered, "Oh yeah, I wanted to talk to you about something Erza…" and I detailed the occurrences of yesterday, with Yaseika not even once using her magic, and her looking strange following the fight.

Erza's expression darkened even further. She spoke, "We need to ask her a few more questions. Things aren't adding up. If she is a first-generation dragonslayer as she claims, then she should be using her magic similarly to Natsu. However, she seems to be acting completely differently from Natsu." She rose to her feet, only for Yaseika to do the same. She exited out the back of the guildhall, and after a shared glance, Gray, Wendy, Erza and I all followed her out.

Yaseika was sitting out in the field, sitting crisscross, her hands on her knees with her eye closed. She was muttering something indistinct to herself. At our approach, her eye snapped open, but she didn't move from her position.

Before Erza even said a single word, Yaseika began, "I know you don't trust me." Erza seemed startled by this but Yaseika continued, "But I don't really care what you think about me. I know you have questions, and you can feel free to ask them, but that doesn't mean I have to answer."

Wendy began to shake slightly as she asked, "Hey Yaseika, why don't you use your dragonslayer magic?"

A chill went down my spine. This was exactly what the book said. That means Yaseika was going to say… "I can't. I can't figure out how."

Another voice said, "What do you mean you can't?" My heart jumped at the voice, and turned, I saw Natsu standing behind us, seeming to recover from the earlier fight. He looked to be in shock, but he also looked incredibly concerned.

He approached us as Yaseika replied, "That's why I've been spending so much of my time in the forest. I've tried to use my magic, but it either doesn't produce anything, or it creates a powerful uncontrolled explosion. Something must have happened to me in the past years that I can't remember, because now I can't use my dragonslayer magic."

She seemed to wince slightly as she said this, but overall, her expression retained that soulless quality. While this didn't make me feel all better inside, I will admit that I'm starting to feel sorry for Yaseika. Assuming everything she has said up until this point is true, she had to fight against the two strongest and evil beings of all time, all by herself, and as a result lost everything but her life. She lost her eye, family, magic, time, memories, everything. She has been through hell and back.

Gray looked Yaseika up and down and said, "You aren't telling us everything."

Yaseika shot back, "I said I would tell you what I wanted to. I don't want to tell you everything, so I don't." There goes any pity I had for her.

Just then, Mira came running outside, an envelope in her hands. She called out, "This just came for you, Yaseika! It's from Fauna." Yaseika slowly rose to her feet and approached Mira. Taking it out of the mage's hands, Yaseika opened the envelope and skimmed the page, her eye clear and focused. A moment later, she turned to leave the guildhall grounds entirely.

Just before she did though, she turned back to us and said, "I don't expect you to trust me. Things are actually easier if you don't. So let me do my job and I will let you do yours." A chill went down my spine at that. It sounded eerily like a threat, but why would she be threatening us? I turned towards Natsu to see him trembling. His hands were clenched and his eyes were beginning to tear up.

In anger he cried out, "You were never like this before, Yaseika! You were my big sister! You were strong and kind. Now you are pushing everybody away. Why won't you let me be your little brother again?!"

Yaseika stilled and for a moment, so did the rest of the world. She faced away from us and calmly replied, "This is just who I really am. I'm not the person that you think me to be. Besides," she took a step away from us, "what kind of big sister abandons their siblings for an extended period of time? One that doesn't care." That was the last she said on the subject as she continued walking and shortly disappeared.

Natsu collapsed to his knees, his entire body trembling. He growled harshly under his breath, "What the hell, Yaseika?!" I wanted to support him, but I didn't know how. She just now reaffirmed my dislike of her but I wish she would stop, at least for Natsu's sake. Why is she hiding from us? Is she really the Yaseika that Natsu knew so many years ago? Looking towards him, I'm getting the sense he may be asking himself the very same question.

 **Okay so I just read the most recent chapter of the manga (455) and realize that my storyline is going to completely differ from what is happening there. So, again, as I said from the very start, there are going to be spoilers for all of the arcs, however, how I choose to end this story may not line up with the events of the manga as the manga is going in a completely different direction than my story.**


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter Twelve: Duty or Family?

 **YASEIKA POV**

A few days have passed since the incident out in the back of the hall. Most people have proceeded to avoid me like the plague itself, while others shift uncomfortably in my presence. I don't blame them. It's all related to my magic at this point. Joining a mage guild without any magic? Well, at least the type of magic I'm expected to know.

Unfortunately, this time of peace came to a close as the old man went in front of everybody today. He raised his fist as high as he could and shouted, "My children of Fairy Tail! We have been dishonored today, as non-members have occupied our sacred land Tenrou Island and claim it as their own! We must reclaim that land in order to prove that we are not to be messed with!" A roar went up around the building and I winced at the sudden noise as the man finished, "and that is will be the worst mistake they have ever made!"

I could see Natsu towards the front, punching his fists, fire answering his call. I could do that. No I can't. I have the power to do so, all I have to do is…

 **LUCY POV**

This is freaky! We just won the Grand Magic Games. How could people randomly end up on Tenrou Island? Master then began to announce the teams that would go to the island and take care of this threat. I was glancing around the room to gauge people's reactions when my eyes fell on Yaseika. She held one hand up over her eyepatch, her other eye shining with some kind of emotion. She seemed to be considering something. What could she be…?

"Yaseika Dragneel!" She jerked out of her stupor and smoothly stood up, bowing her head slightly. Master ordered, "You are to lead your brother, and the members of his team to the north sector of the island."

She seemed to be in shock, and she wasn't the only one. Erza looked like she was about to lose it right there, and none of us seemed to be looking forward to working with Yaseika. Then the girl in question spoke up, "I have never been on the island before. I do not believe that it is wise for me to lead anybody."

He spoke sternly, "The group is rumored to be related to the group that had captured you last week. Besides, Mavis will be speaking strategy to you, so you have no reason to worry about that." Yaseika looked like she was about to argue, but at his withering look, she fell silent. Guess we don't have a choice about the matter. Time to head back to Tenrou Island.

The trip back was silent for the most part. The sound that I heard for most of the rest of the trip was actually Yaseika, and she seemed to be mumbling to herself. I had been keeping up with reading the mysterious tome, but it had been strangely empty for the past few days, only talking about meaningless things. I asked Natsu if he could hear what she was talking about, and he said he couldn't understand her either. All of what she said apparently seemed incredibly one-sided or unfinished phrases.

Tenrou Island came into view and I felt in awe of the natural beauty of the place. Even though I had nearly died here, as with many other members of Fairy Tail, I felt a strong protective connection to this place. It is because Mavis is buried here, that I am still alive today. I have to help take it back.

Our ship landed on the northern shore, and after Natsu spending a few minutes falling back in love with solid ground, we took off into the depths of the island. Yaseika did lead the group, but not a single person talked to her, and she didn't talk to any of us. Instead, there was near-silent conversation between Natsu, Gray, Erza, Wendy and I. We were each discussing how strangely Yaseika was acting and how she seemed suspicious of everything. She didn't trust us and even now, her body was tense, ready for any kind of attack. The entire situation was uncomfortable.

I could tell that Natsu was still recovering from the shock of virtually losing the person that was his sister for a second time. We were all even more suspicious of her than we had been originally, as Natsu had claimed to know her. Having lost Natsu's guarantee, she can't be trusted. Maybe she has the same face, but we have no idea what she could be up to. Unfortunately, it seems that First Master trusts Yaseika completely, so I guess maybe she was okay. But Mavis has been wrong before.

I had been running through what Yaseika had said a few days ago to us. She implied that she had a special job to do herself. Just what kind of job could that be? Just as I was thinking that, Yaseika's head snapped up and she snarled. Without warning, she darted to the left, disappearing in some bushes.

I cried out, "What the heck was that all about?" Taking off after her, we followed her based on the sounds made and damage done to the surrounding nature.

Natsu then let out a short growl of his own. He said, "I can smell that crybaby from before."

Wendy gasped, "The one that we think was Zeref?"

Natsu spoke low, "Yeah. Question is, what is he doing here now?" No one had an answer.

Before long, we emerged into a large clearing, laid out with white bricks under our feet. It looked abandoned, but even I noticed that there was something heavy in the air here. Yaseika stood in the center, one of her swords unsheathed in her left hand, glowering angrily at another figure that was across from her. The other figure was dressed in camouflage, looking more like an army drill director than anything else. But we knew better. Not just anybody can get to Tenrou Island.

Yaseika growled low, the sound causing chills to run up my spine. She spoke dangerously, "What business do you have with the Black Wizard?"

The other person spoke, their voice high, but laced with coldness, "We must please him. We will do anything for him. There is so much magical power on this island. It is the perfect place to revive His most powerful demons." Her hands rose up towards the sky, and immediately, the surrounding area darkened.

Without any hesitation, Yaseika lunged towards the woman, the sword glinting slightly in the last fading light. Natsu's hands sprung up with fire, aiding our ability to see. We all lunged for the woman. Somehow though, none of our attacks seemed to be landing on her. Whenever we would attempt to strike, she would just shimmer slightly and appear somewhere else. That's when I realized, "She's using some kind of illusion magic!"

At that, the woman broke out into a large malicious smile and shadows appeared around her. Moments later, those shadows formed into solid looking figures and I gasped. In front of us, appeared the following people: Jellal, Mystogan, a black-haired woman that looked similar to Ultear, Lisanna, and…Loke?

No…that isn't Loke. Each of the people standing by the mage's side had blood red eyes, and their entire bodies were emanating a darkness of some sort. The mage spoke, "You are right, girl. I use illusion magic, but I am able to shape them into whatever form I choose. Primarily those with a close connection with my enemy." She pointed her finger, "Attack my shadows! Do it for Zeref!" They all moved together, each taking on one of us. Loke charged towards me and light poured from his fingertips. I was just barely able to block his attack before I summoned Taurus. Taurus seemed to freak out for a second before he attacked Loke. However, I noticed that Taurus was holding back, he was hesitant.

Chancing a glance away from the fight, I noticed that everybody was facing the same problem. These shadows seemed to have enhanced powers, and with their close connection to each other, nobody was willing to attack. Gray looked like he was on the verge of a mental breakdown, Wendy could barely fight back, and even Natsu was looking conflicted. Erza seemed to be holding her own against Jellal, but even she was slowing. Only Yaseika seemed unaffected, as somehow, she did not have a shadow fighting her.

 **YASEIKA POV**

I attacked the woman in front of me relentlessly. She was in alliance with the Black Wizard so she must be taken down. And I need her to tell me where he is. Swiping at her face, her expression seemed to flicker in shock before settling into amusement. She spoke with a mocking tone, "Why can't I find somebody within your heart that you care about? Could it be that you are heartless?"

I tried to kick her, but she simply dodged it and appeared at my side, "Or could it be that you truly don't care about anybody?"

I snarled at her, but not in anger, but rather as acknowledgement. Lunging for her throat, I growled out, "I don't care about anybody. I only need to care about myself, do what I need to do in order to survive. I can't risk caring about anybody. It would mean more distractions." I punched her in the nose for her to stumble backwards, "It would mean death."

The woman laughed, "Maybe so, as it appears that my shadows are working." She gestured towards the others and I froze. Natsu and the others were slowing, but that wasn't what shocked me. What shocked me was that it wasn't the shadows that were slowing them down. Instead, I could see a small line connecting me to the others and I knew what that meant. Only I could see this. I had to get away from here. Then they would be fine.

 **LUCY POV**

Why do I feel so weak? I've barely done anything yet I feel so tired. My arms felt as though they weighed a ton and my magic power was nearly non-existent. With a pang, I felt Taurus's gate closed forcefully, leaving me alone in front of the phantom-Loke. He didn't move, so I chanced a look towards the others, only to see them in similar situations.

Only Yaseika was still standing and she looked, for the first time in recollection, scared. It only lasted for a split second, but it was there. She reached behind her only to grab onto air. She turned around, only to see the evil woman holding the quiver of arrows in her hand, breaking them all in two. Yaseika seemed to begin to tremble and was again, muttering to herself. The darkness that had been forming all of this time seemed to condense into a large fog, enveloping Yaseika, making it impossible to see her.

What happened in the next few seconds is something that I cannot personally explain.

I saw a bright red magic circle form inside this fog, a huge one, only for me to recognize it. Fire spewed out of the fog at an alarming rate, and I heard a loud scream, "FIRE DRAGON ROAR!" The magic fire exploded out of the column of fog, obliterating it almost immediately. It spewed over towards each of the shadows, burning each of them away into nothing. I was sure I was going to get burned to a crisp myself when I heard the sound of sucking.

Looking over towards where I had last seen Natsu, I could see him eating the fire as fast as he could. After an infinite amount of time, the spew of fire finally stopped, and the area around us began to return to its normal state once again. I began to feel rejuvenated and my magic sung in glee in my keys once again. Looking back towards the evil woman, I realized something. The woman was still standing there, looking a bit charred and in shock, but Yaseika was not. She had vanished.

Natsu let out another Fire Dragon's Roar, but even I noticed that the amount he emitted was far inferior to the amount that had been released just a little while before. The woman quickly fell to her knees, only to fall face-first into the ground. He picked up the woman by the scruff of her neck and yelled, "What did you do to Yaseika?"

The woman coughed out a bunch of ash and she grinned, "Do what you want. I didn't do anything to that chick though."

"Liar!" Natsu screeched, his fist lighting up on fire in his rage.

She grinned faintly, "I really didn't. She used that scary amount of magic of hers and then she vanished. She said she didn't care about anybody, so maybe she just took off." She was messing with our minds, even when she was at a major disadvantage, "Even I couldn't tell what had happened. I was a bit preoccupied in being burned alive!" She was becoming angrier, so Erza just bonked her on the head once, for the woman to fall over unconscious.

That took care of our main job in coming to Tenrou Island. Now all that was left was to find Yaseika, as she has vanished for some reason. Still, what if what the woman said was true? What if Yaseika really didn't care about anybody in the world? Why would she stick around in Fairy Tail if she didn't care? What was she hiding?


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter Thirteen: Plan of Action

 **LUCY POV**

We wandered around the island for hours, managing to meet up with the others of the guild, having completing their tasks themselves. Then we realized that they hadn't seen Yaseika either. Even with three first-generation dragonslayers sniffing out for her, it wasn't until long past nightfall that she was finally found. Wendy was the one that managed to spot her, lying face first in some bushes, breathing heavily as though she was running a marathon.

Her eye was shut tightly, and as soon as she was pulled into Natsu's arms, she began wincing as though being touched hurt her. Was she having a nightmare of some sort? Even though I could barely see her, something about the entire situation felt strange. Natsu shook her to awaken her, yet despite any of our efforts, her eye remained closed. As her face was illuminated by moonlight and the spirit flies, I realized what was different about her: her hair. Before, the red tips of her hair were only about an inch long. Now the red covered over a third of the length, about 4-5 inches. There was only another 7 inches or so of blue. It was as though the red was slowly consuming the blue, like a poison.

Other than that, she did not appear to have sustained any other physical injuries. Wendy said that she couldn't do anything, that Yaseika appeared to be asleep as a result of using a huge amount of magical power and that she should wake up sometime tomorrow. With that, we all got back onto the ship we arrived on and headed back towards the guild.

During the trip, I noticed that Erza was frequently glancing over at the unconscious girl, who occasionally reached out and groaned with a painful expression on her face. The scarlet-haired woman leaned over to me and asked, "Do you know how she managed to do that?"

She didn't have to specify for me to understand what she was asking about, "I don't know. She looked scared too, just for a second, right after her arrows were destroyed. Then all of that power exploded." I remembered, "She did say that when she attempted to use her magic before that it ended in an uncontrollable explosion."

Erza shook her head, "No, that does not appear to be the case." She looked deep in thought and pity seemed to fade into her expression, "I do not know for sure, but I suspect what happened was similar to what happened to me in the Tower of Heaven." My eyes widened. She continued, "Under great stress, I was able to awaken my magical power, by accident. Perhaps the same goes for her magical power for right now."

I nodded in assent, but still, I felt uneasy. I asked Erza, "Whether or not that was the case, why would she run away? And what's with her hair?"

Erza's expression darkened and she spoke grimly, "Yes, I noticed that as well. I have no idea what could have caused that reaction, as well as what is changing her hair color."

I sighed, "Things are getting crazy around here, and it all started when she came along." I didn't mention the book that I had found just before she had appeared. I didn't think it was a good idea to tell someone else about it.

Wendy piped in, as it was clear that she had been listening all along, "Maybe so. But even though she's a little weird, I don't think it's right for us to be treating her like this."

I retorted, "Oh come on, she herself says that she doesn't care about us and what we think of her."

Erza cupped her chin with her hand and thought, "While Wendy does have a point, I do have to agree with Lucy. Too many things aren't adding up. I think it is time for us to begin investigating her past, the one that she claims to forget. Because she fights too well with those weapons for her to have just picked up in her blank state. And where did she get those weapons in the first place?"

Wendy grimaced but she nodded firmly, "Okay. Whatever you need me to do, just let me know so I can help."

Erza nodded and began strategizing, "I believe we should start back in Fauna. That's where she was found, and I want to know why those people were performing some kind of scientific experiments on her. That shall be my job." She pointed to Wendy and myself, "I want you two to stay in Magnolia and follow her around. She leaves at random points throughout the day and she always leaves before nightfall. She isn't staying with Natsu, so I want to know where she is staying." She scoffed, "If she isn't willing to tell us the truth, we need to determine the truth for ourselves."

I didn't voice this, but I realized that I could use the book that I have to my advantage as well. Perhaps it could tell us more about what we weren't seeing. It seemed that there was a plan that needed to be put into action as soon as we returned back to the guild hall.

By the time we returned back to Magnolia, it was already midday. Yaseika had woken up just a few hours ago, appearing incredibly dazed. After explaining what had happened following her release of power, she barely even reacted, only absentmindedly twirling her hair between her fingers. She was extremely quiet as she said that she didn't know what had happened to her following her using her breath attack. She remembered attempting to cast the spell, and then the next thing she knew, she woke up.

Looking towards her, I noticed that expression looked guarded, expressionless, yet I could sense despair hiding behind her eyes. What is she not telling us? What does she seek to hide?

 **YASEIKA POV**

It is frightening how easily lying comes to me after so many years. I told them the truth, but not the whole truth. I can never tell them the whole truth. Whatever. They can create all of the rumors and conspiracies they want. I don't care. All I care about is my sole purpose. All that I live for today. It isn't to make friends. It is to complete what should have happened years ago when I had the chance.

Maybe I should tell them though. It would tear us apart, but they want to know. So what if what I tell them destroys any semblance of sanity? Perhaps I could ask _him_ about it later. If _he_ could let me tell them the truth, then maybe they would stop getting in my way.

 **THIRD PERSON POV**

Little did anybody know, a threat was about to come to Magnolia, to all of Fiore, stronger than anything else that they have ever faced. And plans to discover Yaseika's true complete identity will have to be put on hold.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter Fourteen: Questions and Answers

 **ERZA POV**

Returning to Fauna was the easy part. I left on the earliest possible train in the morning to head out there. Unfortunately, things started becoming a bit more complicated after that. By the time I arrived, it was just past mid-morning. The first thing I noticed was that the clock in the center of the square that had once caught my attention before was currently being torn down. In shock, I headed towards the construction site, only to run into Mr. Yaoren again.

He smiled towards me, "Ah! One of the Fairy Tail mages that helped us recover the Fire Dragon Heiress is here!" He bowed low, "What brings you here to Fauna on this wonderful morning?"

I ignored his question, continuing to stare in awe at the spectacular display being taken apart piece-by-piece. I asked him, "Why are you taking down this centerpiece? It seemed important the last time I was here."

Mr. Yaoren seemed taken aback at my question but he answered, "We simply have no need for it anymore. We are planning on replacing it with a center garden that families can bring their children to. You still didn't answer my question," He seemed to pale slightly, "Why have you come back?"

His expression troubled me, and now I was a little on edge. I coolly responded, "Just checking up on a couple of leads." He seemed ready to walk away from me now when I asked, "Those criminals that had taken Yaseika, what happened to them?"

He replied a little too quickly, "They are in our local prison. We are waiting for the Magic Council to pick them up."

I sighed, "I see. May I speak to them briefly? I would like to ask them a few questions."

He assented, "Of course. Right this way." He led me to the prison, leaving me inside the room with the leader of the group that had kidnapped Yaseika, claiming that he had some business to take care of and I could see myself out whenever I needed to leave. A large glass wall separated me from the bad guy.

The man sneered at me, "I've never had a visitor before. What could you possibly want with me? I've already told all that I know."

I didn't react to his mocking tone and asked, "Why did you kidnap Yaseika? What was your purpose?"

He scoffed, "The girl? I came to this town because I heard of this 'Fire Dragon Heiress' that had supposedly been their guardian for nearly 15 years. When I showed up, I discovered that she had the appearance of a teenager. A highly beaten up teenager, but one none the less."

He smiled darkly, "After asking around, I realized that she hadn't appeared to have aged at all during her time in the town. Same goes for her wolf companion."

I interrupted, "Wolf companion?"

He winced, "Yeah. This green-eyed wolf that accompanied her everywhere. It disappeared when we came to take the girl."

I asked, "Why did you take her?"

His hands slammed into the glass wall but I didn't even flinch. He said, "Immortality. That girl had immortality. Such power within her, yet she never used it. And she didn't even attempt to use her immortality to her advantage. So I wanted it. I wanted it all for myself."

I didn't know how much of his story I believed. The whole idea of immortality is nearly impossible to comprehend. Still, his story at least explained why she appeared to be experimented on when we found her. Is it possible that she lost her dragon slayer magic through those means? Were we too late?

I followed up, "Did you succeed?"

He shrugged, "I don't know why I've been even answering your questions. Obviously if I had succeeded I wouldn't be stuck in a jail cell, would I?"

With that, I chose to leave. I didn't know why Mr. Yaoren had neglected to mention that during her time here she didn't seem to age in the slightest, but I knew I needed to find out why. Natsu did say that she looked incredibly similar to how she looked the last time he saw her alive, with the exception of her scars and hair. Still, even with the best of magic, it is impossible to look exactly the same over such a long period. I believe it is time for me to revisit Mr. Yaoren and demand the full truth.

 **LUCY POV**

I accidentally woke up late this morning as I spent most of last night poring over the book that speaks the future. I asked it as much as I could about Yaseika, yet all I could get was the same exact information that she had personally provided for us. Nothing more, nothing less. Arriving at the guild hall, I looked towards where she would normally be sitting only to find her seat empty.

I went up to Mira at the bar and asked, "Hey, where's Yaseika? I thought she would still be here."

Mira replied, "Oh, Yaseika received another letter from Fauna, so she went back there in order to 'take care of something' as she put it. She should be back sometime tonight."

Goosebumps rose up on my arms as I tensed. I thanked Mira and found a communication lacrima to get in contact with Erza, who I thought was already in Fauna.

 **ERZA POV**

I was trembling in rage as I sat down at a local café, reviewing everything that had just happened. Just then my communication lacrima rang. Before I answered, I recomposed myself speaking, "Erza."

I heard Lucy's voice on the other end, "Ezra! I'm glad that I got through to you. Yaseika, she's…"

"In Fauna. I know."

There was a pause and I heard Lucy take a deep breath asking, "You know?"

I winced slightly, "Let's just say that she wasn't too happy to discover that I had been trying to dig up the truth."

Lucy shouted, "She fought you?!"

I replied, "Not exactly. Here's what happened."

 **A little while earlier:**

I was tracking down Mr. Yaoren when I saw a familiar face holding a large bag, being handed to her by Mr. Yaoren himself. Stalking towards them, I accused, "What are you doing here?"

Yaseika's eye flashed slightly and said, "Titania. I could say the same about you."

I shot back, "You didn't remember a lot about your past here in town, so I decided to do a little investigating. What are you doing here?"

Yaseika's expression didn't change and she calmly said, "I'm merely picking up a delivery for myself. Is that a crime?"

My annoyance with her rose, "You've been acting suspicious ever since you joined our guild. I know you are hiding something." I could feel my emotions beginning to cloud my judgement but I didn't care, "Tell me what you are hiding!"

Yaseika sighed and a moment later appeared behind me. _What? I didn't even see her move. How fast is she? What is she?_ She muttered, "I know you don't like me Titania. In fact, that's what I'm counting on."

This only confused me further, "What do you mean? Tell me!"

Yaseika's emotionless eye stared at me, "I have nothing that I need to tell you. There is nothing more that you need to know about me."

It suddenly hit me, "You remembered your past. You don't want to tell us. What is it that you are afraid of?"

She turned from me, "I don't do fear. I can't afford to feel that way. I can't afford to feel any emotions. It puts me at risk. And perhaps I've remembered my past. Or perhaps I've never forgotten it. It's up to your interpretation." She began to stride away, "I'll see you back at the guild hall, Titania." She stopped a moment later and added, "Also, your little plan to figure me out, with the Celestial wizard and the Sky Dragon slayer, it would be a shame if something were to…happen…to them." With that, she disappeared.

The contempt and threat in her voice wasn't lost on me, and caused fury to course through my whole body. She…she is so aggravating!

 **Back to the present:**

"She really said all of that stuff to you?" Lucy's voice had a slight tremor in it.

I sighed, "Yes. And now I worry about our plan. Clearly she is aware of it, and there is a chance that we are all at risk if we dig where she doesn't want us to."

Lucy paused before asking, "What about Natsu? Maybe he could get through to her?"

I replied, "I do not believe that that is wise. She herself said before that she doesn't care about him, or any of us. He isn't going to get her to talk."

"So what do we do?"

I paused, thinking on it for a while, "I believe that we should inform the master of her behavior. Perhaps he can lessen her animosity towards us. But for right now, I think we shouldn't pry. As much as I want to know the truth, if we push her too far, we could all be in serious danger."

Lucy sighed and said, "That sounds like a good idea. Although there is one thing I don't understand. Why is she still in Fairy Tail? She said that she didn't care, so why would she stay?"

"That has been bothering me as well. During our conversation she said that our animosity is something that she is counting on. That again hints to some ulterior mission and goal. Also," I paused and said, "There's something else I found out before I ran into Yaseika." I informed Lucy of the incident with the clock and the prisoner's story.

Her voice turned slightly frantic, "That can't be a coincidence. Them destroying the clock right after Yaseika leaves? Does that mean we are in danger?"

"Possibly. I feel as though all that we accomplished today was create more questions without answers. But first things first, tell the master what we have found and what we think. He should be able to do something."


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter Fifteen: Not Understanding

 **LUCY POV**

I hung up with Erza and immediately set out to do what she asked me to. I found the master, and First Master, standing off to the side, overlooking the atmosphere of the guild hall. Making my way up towards them I heard the master ask me, "Lucy my child, what do you need?"

I replied, "It's about Yaseika. There's something that I need to tell you about." I glanced around, "In private."

His eyes narrowed and he muttered, "I see. Step into the office so we can discuss what you want to tell me." He opened the door and I strode inside. First Master stepped in silently behind and the master came in last, closing the door behind him.

He sat down at the desk in front of me while Mavis stayed standing by his side. He said, "Okay, let's hear it. I have my own opinion of Natsu's sister, but you seem to know something."

I began, "That's the thing Master. I'm not even sure that she really is Natsu's foster sister." Master Makarov raised an eyebrow but did not say anything so I continued, "There's been a lot of stuff happening lately…" I relayed to him what happened ever since we had found Yaseika in that container nearly a week ago. Has it only been a week?

When I finished, he harrumphed slightly and said, "I agree with you Lucy. Something is strange about the girl. She is a dragon slayer that has not once used her magic. Not willingly at least. However, before you told me what you have told me, I did not see any cause for concern. Now I see that there may be something more sinister about her."

He stood up onto his desk and paced briefly before asking me, "Do you suspect that she could be a threat to Fairy Tail? She has made these threats, yes, but do you think she would actually go through with them?"

I replied, "Anything is possible. She's been disappearing so much and she keeps on implying that she is on a secret mission."

Then Mavis spoke up for the first time in the conversation, "You have no reason to fear Yaseika Dragneel. She will not bring anybody in Fairy Tail to harm."

Master and I turned to her in surprise and she continued, "I've been speaking with her, and while I do not know specific details of her past, I know that she does not wish to harm anybody in this guild. She can continue being her distant self. It is what is keeping us safe after all."

I asked her, in shock, "What do you mean? What is she keeping us safe from?"

Mavis looked at me, a cool expression in her eyes that froze me to the spot, "You know only of a small sliver of her power. She released it once on Tenrou Island, and had it not been for Natsu, many of you probably would have ended up in far worse condition. It is even possible some of you would have not made it. She does not want that to bear on her conscious."

I cried out, "Then why is she even here? If she's basically a bomb ready to explode, why is she staying here?"

Mavis mused, "I have been working with her to control her power. You know yourself that when Natsu becomes angry or emotional his magic increases exponentially. Hers is even more powerful than that. So currently, her job is to function in life and fight without emotion, in order to control herself. That is why she stays."

Master and I were shocked into silence and for a few moments, nobody said anything. Then I said, "I'm also worried about Natsu, Master. Yaseika being here, and tossing him aside like an obsolete thing is breaking him."

Master replied, "I am aware of this. He and I have talked about it briefly. However, with what the First Master is telling us, I believe that things may have just become easier." He narrowed his eyes towards Mavis and said, "While I do not understand why I have not heard of this before, I believe it is wise if we inform the entire guild of this situation. That way they understand and all of these silly rumors of her being inhuman can stop."

I gasped, "Inhuman?"

Master nodded, "You aren't the only one who has come to see me about Yaseika. I have received many complaints from guild members, about her emotionless, seemingly heartless attitude. She didn't do anything at all and some people thought that she was an android or a demon or part animal. That she isn't completely human."

I shot back, "But none of the Strauss siblings are exactly human! At least she doesn't destroy stuff like crazy."

Master insisted, "Yes. You are right. But people are getting nervous. And people do strange things when they are scared. Even you now are defending Yaseika, when just five minutes ago you were accusing her."

I didn't have a response for that so he said, "Let's gather everybody in the guild hall so I can explain to them what is going on with Yaseika. Lucy, I'm counting on you to tell Erza because she and Yaseika are both in Fauna." I froze and he continued, "Next time you lot do some kind of reconnaissance mission, make sure you do better."

I rubbed the back of my head and I could feel my whole face heat up. I muttered a quick apology but Master waved it aside. With that, we left the office to inform everybody of the news about Yaseika.

Seeing Natsu's face light up truly for the first time in days caused my heart to jump in my chest. Meeting up with him following the announcement, he cried out, "Hey. So maybe she just told me all of that stuff as part of her new training." He stomped the ground, "That sucks. Not being able to feel emotion. That kind of makes me wonder how powerful her magic really is." His mouth extended into a malicious smile, "I kind of want to fight her now."

I shouted, "Natsu!" He broke off into laughter and I had to break into a smile as well. It was great to see him back to his old self. However, it wasn't until later that I noticed that I hadn't seen Yaseika all day. It was then nighttime and Erza had just returned from Fauna.

Erza seemed shocked when I told her about what the First Master told me but she seemed to accept it easily enough. When I asked her about Yaseika, Erza replied that she hadn't seen Yaseika since the incident. She didn't have any idea where Yaseika was, nor what was in the bag she had received from Mr. Yaoren.

Still, we rested slightly more at peace with this new information. I glanced over towards the First Master to see that she was leaving out the back door. It was that time of night after all. She liked to go out to look at the stars.

 **MAVIS POV**

I looked up at the sky and sighed silently. I spoke, primarily to myself, but also to whoever might be listening, "I did as you asked Yaseika. I told them the story you told me to tell them. I do not believe that this course of action is wise. You can't put off telling them the truth forever." The wind began to blow harder, as though it was answering me, and I continued, "I will tell them the truth about me soon. He is on the move." I paused, "I believe it is best if you do as well. While I don't know the whole truth, we are connected. We are both suffering for the same reasons."

The wind died in the air and the world became still. I sighed and said, "I hope that you know what you are doing, Yaseika."

 **THIRD PERSON POV**

Things were about to change that night, as explosions began to ring all across Fiore, plunging Fairy Tail and the other light guilds into the fight of their lives.


	16. Chapter 16

**Hi everybody!**

 **So before I begin this next part, this is where spoilers for the Tartaros arc, as well as future arcs begin to occur. I am changing the story slightly, but there are some parts that stay the same. So again, SPOILER alert.**

 **Hope you enjoy!**

Chapter Sixteen: Tartaros

 **LUCY POV**

I woke up this morning with a nasty feeling in the pit of my stomach. I noticed that Natsu wasn't sleeping in my bed like he normally was and chose this moment to look at the mysterious book again. Although it did not seem to have a title, I'm giving it the name of Fate, as it appears to be able to be able to see into both the past and the future with clarity. Passing through the pages, I didn't find anything new that seemed to be of note. If anything, it barely gave me any information about what was going to happen today. All it said was that I was to go to the guild hall where Master would reveal some kind of news.

With that, I scrambled out of my apartment as quickly as I could. On my way to the guild hall, I noticed that the citizens were all huddling into groups, whispering frantically to each other. Fear was etched upon everybody's face, and it caused a chill down my spine.

Bursting into the guild hall a moment later, chaos erupted from all around me. I found Natsu and Gray, both looking furious. I asked Gray, "What's going on?"

He spoke with rage lacing his tone, his voice barely audible amongst all the noise, "Laxus and the Thunder Legion were attacked last night. They were out on a job and they came back this morning barely alive. It doesn't look good for them."

I gasped, "What? How is that possible?"

Natsu snarled, "I don't know. But whoever did this is going to pay. I'm going to make sure of that." Fire was threatening to erupt all around him. I hadn't seen him this angry since the incident with Future Lucy. Just thinking of it sent pangs through my chest.

Just then, Master Makarov demanded all of our attention with a single clap of his enlarged hands. Silence enveloped the whole group of mages as we anticipated his news. He spoke authoritatively, "My children, I have some terrible news. After the return of the Thunder Legion, I attempted to contact the Magic Council, only to discover that a dark guild is assassinating the members, one-by-one. The Thunder Legion approached one of these dark guild members, only to be nearly killed themselves. The dark guild calls themselves Tartaros."

I heard Levy gasp at the name. I turn to her to hear her cry out, "That's the last guild of the Barnum Alliance! They are so powerful that even the Council doesn't attempt to take action against them as it means death!"

Makarov nodded grimly, "That is correct. In fact, earlier yesterday the Council decided that actions should be taken against Tartaros, only for all of the members inside to die in an unexplainable explosion." Murmurs erupted all around the guild hall when Master raised hand and we all fell silent again, "It can only be assumed that that was also Tartaros' work. They have put countless amounts of innocent lives at risk, and they keep on approaching with great haste."

Natsu jumped up onto a table, "So what are we waiting for? Let's get them!" Shouts of assent burdened the atmosphere before the Master shouted for us to be silent.

When the hubbub finally quieted, the master continued, "Yes, Natsu. This attack against us will not be ignored. We are officially declaring war on Tartaros." Silence followed as many of us were too much in shock to speak. _We are going up against Tartaros? This is majorly important._ _Why didn't the book tell me about this?_

The master said, "However, as we do not know their goal, and why they have suddenly come out of hiding, we are going to first assign protection to the remaining council members that are still alive. The rest of us will remain here and gather as much information we can about Tartaros and inform the other guilds. We are going to need as much help as possible in order for us to come out on top."

He raised his hand up in the familiar Fairy Tail hand sign, "Fly my children! Win!" The guild hall erupted with roaring and shouting. I joined in, but in the back of my mind, I was terrified.

With that, I went up to the Master only for him to tell me, Natsu, Wendy, and Happy to head over to Michello's home to make sure that he was safe and protect him as necessary. Before we left, I noticed that a certain dragon slayer had yet to show today. I asked Master, "Have you seen Yaseika?"

Master Makarov's mouth tightened and he said, "No. I haven't seen her since yesterday morning. I'm getting a little worried."

Natsu said, "Maybe she's hurt. Maybe she was attacked by Tartaros. We should go out to look for her."

Master shook his head, "No. The council members are more important." Natsu was about to protest when Master added, "However, her disappearance isn't good. I'll send a few others to look for her. You and your team must continue with your job. I will let you know about Yaseika as soon as I hear anything."

Natsu looked ready to fight Master but wisely backed down. He sighed before he slowly followed the rest of us out towards our trek to the ex-Council member's house.

Things were incredibly hectic, as shortly after arriving at the councilman's house, we were faced with one of the Nine Demons of Tartaros Jackal. Jackal taunted us, saying that he used Curses, rather than Magic, as he was a demon of Zeref. This caused my fear to spike. He sneered, "All of the Nine Demons are true demons of Zeref, including our master END."

Natsu paused and questioned, "END?"

Jackal let out a maniacal laugh, "He is the most powerful of us, the highly revered demon of Master Zeref. You don't stand a chance against any of us."

Natsu managed to defeat him, but not without Michello mentioning something called "Face". When we contacted the master, the master forced Michello to divulge information about Face, a Magic Council weapon designed to eradicate magic all across the country. It was so dangerous that three council members locked it away using their own lives as keys. Only the chairman knew of their identities. That must be the target of Tartaros.

Master looked like he was about to blow a gasket right then and there when Natsu asked about Yaseika. Forlornly, the master replied that she had yet to be found. He ordered for us to return back to the guildhall while he sent Erza and Mira out to find the chairman. The chairman was most at risk of being attacked. This way, we could also discover the locations of the council members who were the keys to Face.

Once we arrived back at the guildhall, Natsu appeared to be deep in thought. He muttered something about END. That reminded me. I walked over to Levy and asked if she had ever read anything about END. Her eyes narrowed and she replied, "Yes. END is considered Zeref's strongest creation, reportedly invincible. The first mention of him is in history about 400 years ago. Supposedly he went up against a dragon, and the dragon couldn't defeat him."

Natsu suddenly shot up and asked Michello where the chairman lived. When he answered, Natsu called Happy to him and shot outside. I barely even managed to register that this all happened before Natsu was out of sight.

I had made up my mind to chase after him when Elfman came slouching into the guildhall, lamenting that Lisanna had been taken by Tartaros. He was overwhelmed and couldn't pursue the one who had taken her. I couldn't but be worried about Natsu. He was definitely strong, but he just left to possibly take on another Tartaros member. Jackal really hurt him, and Natsu going out again without any kind of rest is dangerous. _Natsu… Please be alright…_

 **NATSU POV**

 _Ugh…where am I…?_

I slowly peeled my eyes back to an open darkness, light filtering in between metal bars. _In prison? No…_

I began to remember what had happened. I took off towards the chairman's house, only to find it abandoned. The only sign of someone being there was a spilled teacup. After sniffing it, I recognized it as a sleeping draught, the same kind that Yaseika had used on me so many years ago. Lost in the memory, I was startled out of the past by something slamming into my side.

Shaking off my disorientation, I noticed that some of the bad guys came back to finish up their work. I took them out pretty easily, but then this new guy came into the fight. I sensed his massive magical power, and I told Happy to fly back to the guild hall. The new guy had a scent that I instantly recognized, and then he used his magic on me. Next thing I knew, I woke up here.

I growled in annoyance as I slowly sat myself up, my hands tied behind my back with some kind of magical cuffs. My anger increased as I realized that many of my clothes had been taken from me, including Igneel's scarf.

I shouted, "Hey, what gives?! Give me back my scarf!" Seething in anger, I slammed my head against the bars only to cause my vision to spin.

I heard a faint groan come from behind me and I turned around to see another cuffed figure, similarly stripped of most of her clothes.

I gasped, "Lisanna?"

She gasped, "Natsu? What are you doing here? They got you too?"

I replied, "That bastard froze me! And he took my scarf. He's going to pay."

I heard a chuckle from outside the bars, "Really? You don't seem to be in a position to be fighting anybody." Turning towards the outside, I saw a figure standing there, his hands almost cradling a book to his chest. His midnight-colored hair covered half of his face, and he stared at us, expressionless.

I smirked, "So what? Who are you?" I slammed into the bars again.

He barely even flinched as he answered, "I am Mard Geer, the Underworld King, and the founder of Tartaros." His hair was pulled back into an incredibly thick and long ponytail which moved slightly with the faint breeze passing through the room. He smirked right back at us, "You may also call me the temporary master of Tartaros, until END has been resurrected."

I snarled, "Who the hell is END?!"

Mard Geer continued smirking at us as he said, "Pitiful human emotions. They hinder one's power. All demons lack human emotion. END is the epitome of this fact." He shifted the book in his hands and I could barely make out the letters "END" decorating the cover. He continued, "Master END, his power is so great that even the King of the Fire Dragons could not defeat him." I gasped as he finished, "It is Zeref's wish for END to be resurrected, and his wish is my law."

I screeched, "You liar! Igneel would have been able to defeat END. I know it." Even as I said this, I felt an edge of doubt in the back of my mind.

Mard Geer turned from us and said, "I hope you enjoy your stay, as you both, the red-haired girl, and the white-haired one shall have front-row seats to the activation of Face and the destruction of Magic itself." An image appeared beside him, showing both Erza and Mira both in captivity. Erza seemed to be screaming, while Mira was unconscious.

Lisanna cried out, "Ezra and Sis-Mira!? What are you doing to them?"

He sneered, "Titania has information that we need. We simply are trying to get her to divulge her information. And the white-haired one? We can sense her power and are going to turn her into one of us, a demon of Zeref."

Lisanna began to sob as I growled, "You bastard! I'll kill you!"

The image faded and Mard Geer continued, "You have no chance of success. We have all the power of Curses, which are stronger than Magic, and it's nearly time for our mole to complete her task."

Confusion swept through me, "Mole?"

One of his eyes glinted at me, "One of our own have recently infiltrated your precious guild. She shall soon act, destroying the guild that was once proudly called 'Fairy Tail', as well as all of its members in a brilliant explosion."

I pressed my face against the bars as hard as I could, "Liar! All of what you've been saying are lies!"

I heard Lisanna quietly gasp behind me, "Natsu…"

Mard Geer's expression didn't change and with that, he silently walked out of the room, leaving an ominous feeling behind.

Lisanna started, "Natsu…"

I growled at her, "I don't want to hear it."

She cried, "But Yaseika…she's always been distant, always disappearing, causing explosions with her magic, and so emotionless. She might be…"

I roared and I slammed into the wall, abruptly silencing Lisanna. I glared towards her, my expression causing her entire body to wither into a ball, "She isn't! She's my sister! We were both raised by Igneel! We promised each other that if the other was lost, we would always work to find each other again!"

I squeezed my eyes shut, "Yaseika isn't a traitor! She's just struggling with her magic! Sure, she's different from how I remember, but that doesn't make a difference. She's my sister, my friend, and a Fairy Tail mage!" I felt tears starting to fall down my face, "She wouldn't betray us! She isn't one of them! She can't be! She's one of us!"

I collapsed, feeling drained following my emphatic speech, only to hear silence answer me. I looked up to see Lisanna looking at me, her eyes wide in fear, her mouth pinched shut. I sat down on the stone ground, facing away from Lisanna.

 _She isn't a traitor. Yaseika wouldn't do that to us. Mard Geer made it sound just like her, but he's messing with our minds. She won't betray us. Not my sister._

 **A little OOC for Natsu at the end there, but I hope you enjoyed this next installment!**


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter Seventeen: Choice

 **LUCY POV**

It's just as bad as I feared.

Happy crashed into the guildhall a few hours after he and Natsu had suddenly taken off, only now he was by himself and he was wheezing as though he had flown a marathon. After we were able to calm him down enough to understand him, he explained how the chairman had betrayed the Magic Council and was actually working with Tartaros. He said how some of Tartaros' guys came in and Natsu was captured. Most likely as well as Erza and Mira.

Shortly thereafter, Levy took Happy aside in order to try and determine where their base was, as it was as he put it, "a floating moving island". A while later, just before nightfall, Levy cried out, "Their base! It should be right above Magnolia right now!"

The next few seconds seemed to happen in slow motion. I heard Cana cry out, and the next thing I knew, I was falling to the ground, startled. I tried to move, only to be blocked by an invisible barrier. I could hear the others cry out in shock and worry, wondering what Cana was doing. It was then that I figured out that she had turned all of us into cards.

She cried out, "Happy! Carla! Lily! The guild hall's about to blow! Fly as fast as you can towards the enemy base with these cards!" The next thing I knew, there was darkness. Then a deafening boom fell upon my ears, like the sound of 1,000 drums at once. The feeling of wind passing quickly past my face told me that while I could not see, I was somehow still alive.

 **NATSU POV**

An indefinite period of time passed, with Lisanna and myself attempting to escape the prison cell when a great tremor and boom shook through the entire structure. The next thing we knew, the floor beneath us was rotating, making it impossible for us to stand upright. Tumbling to the ground, the structure eventually stopped shifting, leaving Lisanna and I stuck in a tangled heap.

After detangling ourselves I heard Lisanna whisper, "That sounded like an explosion. Does that mean…?" Another explosion racked the fortress, making it difficult to keep my balance.

I roared, "No!" I slammed myself into the bars once more, "Yaseika! Lucy! Everybody!" _No…this can't be…_

Then Lisanna gasped, "Natsu, look!" I looked outside the bars to notice that in all of the commotion and turbulence, a blade had managed to be knocked loose, now within my reach. Stretching to reach it, I barely managed to grab the hilt, only to feel warmth in my grasp. I couldn't really turn it around all that well, but somehow, I managed to cut off the magical cuffs that had been previously restraining me. I turned and helped Lisanna with hers.

Standing up, I felt the blade heat up again, and the next thing I knew, it had caught aflame. I smirked. _Cool…this should do the job…_

With a quick slice, the bars were melted away into a pile of nothing. I grabbed Lisanna's hand, "Come on! We have to save Mira and Ezra!"

Lisanna nodded, "And Elfman too!" I nodded and we took off deeper into the fortress. It wasn't long before we were met by Tartaros soldiers. Lisanna changed into her cat form, while I continued to use the blade. I figured that this would be a long fight, and I would need to conserve my magic for now.

We ended up in a dead end, and I slammed into the weaker looking wall, creating a gigantic hole, leading into what looked like another prison cell. Turning around in confusion, I found myself facing another person that looked like a demon. I asked, "Oi!? Are you one of the Nine Demons?"

She sneered back at me and I muttered, "Well that answers my question."

She growled low, "Where is Erza Scarlet?" Her fingers elongated into wickedly sharp claws and bared her teeth.

Off to the side, I could hear a strained yet strong voice, "I'm right here, Kyoka." Turning to the voice, an image burned itself into my memory: the image of Erza, scantily-clad and breathing heavily, yet alive and draped with the corpse of a gigantic monster.

Erza chuckled, "It's good to see that you two are okay. Go and find Mira. I will handle this." One of her swords appeared out of thin air and I immediately turned the other way, dragging Lisanna along with me. As much as I wanted to see the fight, Mira's safety came first.

We took off into another corridor, only to find more soldiers on our tail. I turned towards them and told Lisanna, "Go and find your sister!" My hand grasped the blade hanging from a string on my pants. It caught aflame and with a single swipe, I knocked out the first line of men.

Lisanna said, "But…"

"Go!" I roared, before charging off into the fray. I barely even needed my magic to take these guys down. The last of the soldiers were flying in the air as a result of my last attack when they suddenly froze halfway down to the ground.

Looking around me in confusion, I heard a calm voice emanate from behind me, "This is Zeref's bookshelf." A chill went up my spine as I slowly turned around, "The place where my books live." Turning to face this newcomer, I recognized him instantly.

"Zeref." I gasped. He hadn't changed at all since the last time that I had seen him on Tenrou Island, except instead of crying, he was looking at me with relief and faint joy in his eyes. The whole expression on him made me feel uncomfortable. I reached for the heat blade, not quite drawing it out yet.

He continued, "This guild was made by demons that I created. Tartaros." He paused and he admitted, "I didn't build this guild myself." He bowed his head as though he were internally laughing, "It seems Master END did that."

I growled, "END. The demon that Igneel tried to kill."

Zeref answered, "He couldn't."

I grabbed at the heat blade and fire answered my call. I screamed, "Then I will! I will carry on my dad's wish!" I charged at him and he didn't make any movement of defense. I swung the blade to the side, making contact with skin, echoing with a loud clang. Only a moment later did I realize that instead of the blade cutting through Zeref, the sword had been cut, lopped off at the end, making it completely unusable.

He smiled at me, "I know you can. There's just one thing that you need to remember. Igneel couldn't kill END, my strongest demon. The one he chose not to kill. It was his gravest mistake." I let out a slight gasp as he continued, "It seems to be the fate of Igneel and his descendants, being faced with impossible choices: first Igneel, then the first fire dragon slayer, and then the Fire Dragon Heiress."

I realized that we were no longer just talking about Igneel. _Yaseika? What was your choice? And who was the first fire dragon slayer?_

The Black Wizard continued, "I'm sure you are going to be faced with a choice too. Whether to let END live or die."

Zeref began to flicker away as I screamed out, "I don't understand!"

He smirked, "Tartaros is doing this in order to see me. If I appear before them now, it would ruin all of the fun. Either you or END will reach me." He faded away as I heard him whisper, "See you later."

The defeated soldiers finally collapsed behind me in a heap, but I didn't pay them any attention. This entire conversation just left me stunned, and minus one flaming sword. I didn't know what he meant by any of what he just said, and only left me with more questions than answers. What was Yaseika's impossible choice? He had only met her once, as far as I know, so what could she have possibly done then that he would know about?

 **LUCY POV**

When I could see again, we ended up on ground that appeared to be upside-down as I could see the city of Magnolia above my head. It was incredibly disorienting, but my focus was brought back to the other guild members when I could make out a remorseful and apologetic Elfman. I only caught snippets of the conversation, but as far as I could tell, he had been controlled by one of the Nine Demons, forced to detonate a bomb inside of the guildhall. Tears were beginning to streak down his face as he felt he wasn't worthy to call himself a man of Fairy Tail.

All of a sudden, a crash resounded from several yards away, sending dust flying. When the air settled, I noticed an extremely injured, yet determined Erza. She seemed to notice the rest of us a few moments later and seemed confused about why we were all there. However, she had managed, while attempting to return back to Magnolia, opened up a hole for us to infiltrate the Tartaros headquarters.

She said, "Natsu and Lisanna are alright. All that leaves now is Elfman and Mira."

Elfman responded, "I'm fine." He punched his open hand, "Even though I screwed up, I'm going to find my sisters."

Erza replied, "Thank goodness," and then her eyes darkened, "Has anybody seen Yaseika?" Murmurs of dissent floated in from all sides and her expression shifted to that of worry.

Cana finally answered, "She didn't come up here with us. She wasn't in the guild hall and wasn't absorbed into the cards when the guild hall blew up. She's most likely still back on solid ground." Erza's eyes flickered down to the ground she was standing on and it made me curious as to why she was so worried about Yaseika. Did she perhaps discover something while she was a prisoner?

Everybody began jumping into the hole that Erza had created, followed by the Master himself.

Porlyusica took one look at Erza and asked if she needed to be healed. Erza was about to respond when strange ropes wrapped around her body and yanked her away from us. I cried out after her when she screamed, "Don't worry about me! Face's seal has been lifted! You have to stop it from detonating!"

 _Face…?! Does that mean all magic is about to disappear?_

I turned to Wendy and cried out, "Come on!" Wendy, Carla, and Happy each nodded to me and we took off down the hole. After wandering around for a few minutes, battling our way through enemy sentries, we found something that looked like a control room. A big display showed a gigantic sphere, indicating some location. After examining some of the panels, it was quickly determined that despite our efforts, Face had somehow been activated at the site of the magical weapon.

There were also large numbers, slowing ticking down, showing that it was a countdown. Above the numbers were the words: Face On.

41:05

41:04

41:03

Wendy gasped, "Face is set to go off in 41 minutes!"

Happy began running around in a panic, screaming about how magic was about to disappear, when Carla said, "We don't have time to tell anyone us about this. The four of us have to go to the site and stop Face ourselves." We were ready to take off when a menacing looking skeleton in a black cloak. I didn't know who this guy was, but the magical power emanating from him mirrored that of Jackal.

 _Another one of the Nine Demons?_

I cried out, "Open, Gate of the Ram and Bull! Aries and Taurus!" The celestial spirits appeared in front of us, ready to attack. We together charged forward, only for another funny looking guy appear out of nowhere. He seemed obsessed about the 'cost' of everything, and I told Wendy, "Run! We have to get to Face!" We dashed past the guys, temporarily leaving my celestial spirits to fight against our two foes. Normally I wouldn't do this, but there wasn't any time. The importance of the task at hand made my choice for me.

Sprinting down the hallway, we were forced to skid to a stop when the skeleton from the previous room show up in front us. I gasped, "How did he get in front of us?" Just then I heard a roar as Gray appeared out of nowhere, punching the skeleton in the side. It didn't appear to do any damage, but it did get him temporarily out of the way. Happy and Carla picked us up and continued forward. I called back to Gray, "Sorry! We're in a hurry! Thanks!" I could see Gray's bewildered expression for a moment before we turned a corner and both of them were out of sight.

I could see the hole we had initially come through at the end of the hallway. We were nearly free when Aries' wool appeared out of nowhere. Instead of fading away, it enveloped Happy and I, Wendy and Carla barely dodging our fate. They initially stopped in the air and tried to help us, but Happy and I told them to run. The job at hand was too important. But the wool was in pursuit. It was then that the strange looking guy from before appeared, looking like a mashup between Taurus and Aries, showing that he controlled the wool.

Despite the fact that Wendy and Carla had escaped through the hole, the wool pursued them, attempting to wrap around them and yank them down. Then the end connecting the wool in pursuit to the enemy exploded. I gasped out in relief, "Natsu!" With his timely arrival, Carla and Wendy managed to escape, heading towards the location of Face. Natsu looked incredibly confused at seeing Happy and I there on the floating fortress, but when I explained what had happened with Face, his expression paled. He said in worry, "But I have to rescue Mira too!"

I could see the hesitation in his eyes as he struggled with the fact that he couldn't do both at once. Usually, he could do everything, but now he couldn't. I added, "Wendy and Carla are going to shut down Face. We can find Mira," I pointed to the strange looking guy, "Right after we get him!"

Fire formed around Natsu's fist and his eyes took on a murderous angry look. He then said, "Okay. I'm all fired up now!" With that, Natsu charged forward, his fiery fist raised high in the air, ready to attack.

 **Okay so a lot of the past two chapters has just been summary of what actually occurs in the real story. It's a bit boring but I promise that my next chapter will bring back Yaseika, as well as her part in all of this.**


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter Eighteen: Two People in One?

 **LUCY POV**

If I could, I would turn back time so I could make sure that the last few hours never happened.

Natsu, Happy, and I were able to defeat the demon that could absorb souls without too much of a problem. It was all thanks to Wendy and Carla, who were somehow able to stop Face. We were visited by Hades, whose soul had been absorbed by the demon, and were told to tell Master Makarov that it was time to release the light. Warren managed to contact all of the guild members telepathically. We discovered then that Mira was safe and sound. Master did briefly explain the 'light' that Hades was talking about, an incredibly powerful weapon. We were excited, hopeful that we would be victorious.

But then out of nowhere, I could hear Warren cry out in pain and before I knew what was happening, a cold voice resonated where Warren's used to be. He called himself Mard Geer, the Underworld King. He then muttered a single word "Alegria".

This red substance exploded out of every crevice on the floor and walls, reaching out towards us. Natsu and Happy were captured, and as far as I could tell, so was everybody else in the Fairy Tail guild. I was alone when Jackal found me, and he attacked. I fought him with everything I had, but it wasn't enough. Then Aquarius told me to summon the Celestial Spirit King: he would have the power to free my friends so I would no longer be alone.

But to do that, I had to break a golden zodiac key. At her insistence, I destroyed Aquarius' key. She faded away, but I could feel her water magic soaring through me. Somehow, I received a new outfit, and retained her power for my own. The ground shook, and somehow I knew that the floating fortress had been attacked by the King, grounding it permanently. With these new powers and using this news to my advantage, I managed to take down Jackal, but it left me extremely drained. I can't fight anymore. I don't even have the strength to stand.

But before I was attacked again, Gajeel, Juvia, Gray, and Natsu appeared, ready to take on a new fight. I won the fight and I saved my friends, but was the cost of losing my friend worth it?

 **ERZA POV!"**

I had to battle Kyoka for an incredibly long time. She was extremely resistant and difficult to beat. But then she panicked in the middle of our fight and took off, saying something about how now that Face was inactive, it was time to move on to a new plan.

When she vanished, a new foe appeared, and I hated to say that I knew her. She grinned maliciously at me, one eye visible. She smirked, "Erza, I swore that I would kill you when we met again. It seems your time has come."

I gasped, "Minerva?" Yes. It was not Yaseika, but Minerva, the sadistic ex-member of Sabertooth who had attempted to kill Lucy, who had joined a dark guild following the defeat of Sabertooth in the Grand Magic Games. She now seemed to look similar to Yaseika in that one of her eyes was blacked out by a streak that resembled an eyepatch. Her hair was styled to appear as though she now had horns coming out of her head and clothes all reminded me of my threatening guild member. Minerva looked as though she had been through hell and back, and I never imagined that she had joined Tartaros.

Minerva smirked, "I am Neo-Minerva. I have been reborn as a demon. Let me show you my new power!" and with that, she sliced downward and our battle had begun. But it wasn't long before I was held captive by a strange mobile red substance. I don't know how long I was trapped within the organic cage, but I was eventually released, realizing that the enemy base was no longer floating, but grounded.

Then I rediscovered my rage at Minerva's inhumanity and her indifference on anything compassionate. Throughout our reignited fight, she seemed estranged as though the transformation had a traumatic effect on her own self. Somehow, I managed to reach through to her, to remind her that she didn't need to be the strongest. She still had people that cared about her. She eventually surrendered, and when that happened, things became way more complicated.

A dark haired man came out of nowhere, his hair bunched up into a bushy ponytail. He sneered at Minerva, his malicious smile and angry eyes showing that he was definitely bad news. He spoke smoothly, causing chills to shiver down my spine, "This is why humans are weak. They rejoice when they speak of life and death, an ugly experience."

With a jolt, I recognized his voice as that of the Underworld King, Mard Geer. He swiped his hand once and a brilliant path of a bright pulsating substance flew through the air towards us as Minerva and I were somehow thrown back. I could see some coming towards me and her, and there was no way to block it. My vision became blocked as I cried out for Minerva. Just before the magic power attacked me, a large ball of power exploded just in front of me, nullifying the dangerous magic. I could feel someone grab the back of my bandage shirt and pull me down towards the ground.

I landed with a hard thud. When I could see again, my eyes widened in shock at the sight. Her feet were bare, some scratches covering her once unblemished skin. Her purple and black clothing blew gently in the wind brought on by the magic. She was facing away from me, but I could easily recognize the swords strapped to her back and the red ends of her hair.

I gasped, "Yaseika!?"

She replied nonchalantly, "Never thought that I would be the one to save you Titania." I was rendered speechless and didn't even know what I could say. She deflected that magical power with just her body and arrows. Just how powerful was she?

I could hear a couple of loud shouts nearby and I turned to see Sting and Rogue, the former cradling Minerva's body to himself. Sting said, "So is the dark-eyed guy our enemy?"

Yaseika answered, her tone unwavering, "You're Mard Geer. The so-called Underworld King. I've heard of you. You are a devout follower of the Black Wizard," She raised her hand up, grabbing another arrow from behind her back, "and therefore you must die." She lunged towards him and he lifted a finger, forcing her back through the air. She did a flip and landed silently on her feet, her eye warily watching his movements.

He seemed confused for a moment and asked, "Who are you?"

Yaseika stood up straight, turning her bow back into a bracelet and grabbing the two swords from her back and said monotonously, "My name is Yaseika Dragneel." I could hear Sting and Rogue gasp at the mention of her last name, "I am the foster daughter of Igneel. I am a Fire Dragon Slayer. I swore to defeat both the Black Wizard and the Black Dragon when I battled them last in the year X771." Her eye clouded over and she swung her sword. Mard Geer barely even moved, yet somehow, Yaseika froze in place.

Mard Geer smirked as he circled around Yaseika, looking her up and down. It felt as though my feet had been nailed down to the floor. He crooned towards Yaseika, "You fools. You believe that you have won? Face is still set to go off."

I gasped. How was that possible? If what I heard was true, then what did Wendy and Carla do? Rogue finally spoke, "On our way here, we saw a lot of those Face statues coming up from the ground. If that's what he's talking about, then the whole continent is at risk."

Mard Geer continued, "You have merely delayed the inevitable. Face shall activate in one hour. Then END will rise from the ashes of pitiful human civilization. And now with this prize," he waved to Yaseika, "I can move on to completing my third and final task."

Yaseika barely flinched and I screeched, "What are you talking about?"

He smirked, "Tartaros has three missions, all in the goal of bringing Zeref back to us: eradicate magic across the continent, resurrect END, the right hand of Zeref," he blinked and reached his hand out to Yaseika, "and awaken the Demon of Chaos, Zeref's left hand, from her slumber."

The tension in the air was palpable and he chuckled, "You mean none of you know?" He pointed to Yaseika, who was still struggling to escape the invisible trap, "This girl that you call 'Yaseika' is actually one of Lord Zeref's most devoted immortal disciples. They call her the Demon of Chaos. Everywhere she went, she brought destruction and death to those around her, without mercy. Together with Lord Zeref and Master END, they made up the Eternal Deliverers of Death. Not long ago, around the same time of Master END's demise, the Demon of Chaos was forced to take on another form, her true self forever hidden under this _self-righteous_ replacement."

My mind was whirling. That was impossible. She couldn't be a demon…could she? He was watching my expression with peaceful eyes as he added, "Come on Titania, you must realize the truth yourself. Her disappearances, her strange behavior, her inability to express emotion." His voice dropped in pitch but I could still hear him clearly, "Her immortality. Those are all qualities of a demon waiting to be released."

As he spoke, I could hear the sound of something cracking, and before I knew what was happening, Yaseika had a hand around Mard Geer's throat, and shoved him straight into the ground. I could find that I could move again and I could hear Yaseika speak authoritatively, "Titania, you need to stop Face. I'll take care of him." I couldn't even move at first. The shock of this new information was causing me to freeze up. I could feel rage seep into my veins again when Yaseika added, "I know you just heard a lot of stuff. But we can't talk about it right now. The world is at stake. I swear to you, once this is over, we can have a long discussion about everything when we get back." Her voice didn't change inflection at all, but I knew that she was right. If what Mard Geer said was true, I was right in not trusting her from the start, even after the First Master's explanation. She was dangerous. But I had a job to do.

Then Sting spoke as well, "Rogue and I will stay here and help her take care of him. But is she really Natsu's…?"

I shrugged. At this point I didn't know what to believe. Rogue said, "Take our lady and our cats with you. Stop Face." The expression in his eyes was guarded, yet I couldn't help but get the feeling that he was acting differently from how I remembered him. I didn't get to meet him for very long, but I noticed that his eyes were locked onto Yaseika with a strange expression on his face.

I eventually conceded and left with Minerva and the two Exceeds. The last I saw of Yaseika was her back as the sun slowly began to set in the distance.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter Nineteen: Connection

 **ROGUE POV**

My lady, Erza, Lector and Frosch had all walked away, hopefully in the direction to stop Face. As I focused on the scene before me, I thought about what had occurred up until this point. It was only a few hours ago when this whole thing started. We finally managed to decipher Erza's message, which informed us that my lady had joined a dark guild. Sting and I, along with our cats, were on our way to Magnolia when we saw the Face statues. I hadn't known then that they would cause all magic to disappear, but now that I do, it is worrying.

Then Lector noticed the floating cube in the sky. It looked like mini explosions were dotted all over the surface. It was then that we continued closer to Magnolia, as that appeared to be where the cube was hovering over.

A brilliant flash of light later, the cube fell to the ground with a large crash. When the dust cleared, I realized that I could smell some of the Fairy Tail members in the wreckage, and I could hear some shouts.

Eventually, we managed to make it over the territory, only in time to see a bright burst of magic directed towards our lady. We were able to protect her, and when the dust from the explosion cleared, we saw Erza on the ground, looking up at an unfamiliar young woman who was standing, facing the man I assumed to be our enemy.

Erza cried out, "Yaseika!" Yaseika…why did that name sound familiar? Yet, I couldn't remember anything when I tried to make a connection to the name. I looked at her, seeing her blue hair partially dyed in red, swords crossing in a sheath on her back, as well as countless arrows with different colors. She was holding a silver/white colored bow in her hands.

When she spoke, chills went down my spine at her lack of emotion and…something else. I hadn't felt it before, but it felt as though I was being drawn to her. I was able to see part of her purple colored eye, just as she introduced herself to the guy who was apparently called Mard Geer. I gasped and was shocked with each piece of information that was revealed. Was that how I recognized her name?

Her dark past revealed before us, I didn't know what I could believe. But if it was true, that means that she was like me. Maybe that was why I felt drawn to her. She has her own darkness inside of her that she was fighting, just like how I have to battle the shadows that threatened to take over me. Before I had even registered all of this information, Yaseika let out a bloodcurdling scream and threw a strong punch.

The force of contact caused Mard Geer to be forced back several feet. She notched several arrows at once and let them all fly, hitting the ground around him. A column of combined magic formed where the arrows touched and I could hear a faint grunt of pain from Mard Geer.

It was now that Sting and I moved forward together. I became a shadow while Sting took Mard Geer head on. It was a tactic we had used many times previously and had always caught our enemies off guard. Except this time, as Sting and Yaseika lunged towards Mard Geer, he easily knocked Sting back and grabbed Yaseika out of the air easily. With a kick, she was able to get free, but he grabbed on again, and somehow also managed to grab onto me returning to physical form and threw us both together a few yards away.

We landed in a tangled heap. I quickly jumped up and reached out my hand to help her up. She just ignored me and got up herself even though I could see that she was wincing, her once clouded-over eye becoming clearer. She stumbled slightly so I briefly touched her shoulder in order to help her. As soon as our skin touched, I could feel something soothe and calm inside of me. But then she snarled at me. I backed away in defense. She looked over towards Mard Geer who was looking at us in amusement. She took off again, this time taking out her two Chinese swords trying to land another hit on Mard Geer.

Sting approached me and said, "You really think we should help her? It seems as though if we get in her way, she'll tear us apart."

I shook my head, "She does appear to have a feral aspect to her, but I do not believe that we are in danger." I took a step forward, "We have the same goal in mind. So we must help her." Just as we were about to rejoin the fight, Yaseika froze in place, her hand about to grab another arrow. Her eye was focused on the distance, where all I could see was a slight piece of the sun as it was about to disappear behind some mountains. I don't know what she saw, but her jaw tightened slightly and she looked at Mard Geer, who was smirking again.

Without any sort of explanation, she turned away and ran away from the fight.

Sting and I looked at each other in confusion. He called after her, "Hey…! What are you doing? Come back here!" She ignored us and turned a corner and disappeared.

Mard Geer turned towards where she had been looking previously and his smirk became even more pronounced. I could begin to hear a faint voice in the distance, one that was laced with so much contempt and hate that caused my fear to spike. My heart began to pound in my chest as a result, and I looked over towards Sting to see that he was…pulsating.

 _What…?_ I looked down towards myself to see that I was in a similar situation. My body was throbbing physically, as well as with magical energy. Mard Geer murmured, "Has this 'demon' been summoned by all of this destruction?"

I didn't know what he was talking about, but it wasn't long before I realized what it was. A large black figure appeared in my line of vision, just as the last of the sun disappeared behind the horizon. The figure let out a large beam of blue light, and it wasn't until after I had seen the destruction it had left in its wake that I determined the truth. This was the Black Dragon. The dragon that Fairy Tail had faced many years ago and had barely survived. This was…

"Acnologia." Mard Geer sneered, "I hadn't accounted for his arrival. This makes things very interesting." Just then, I began to sense a presence I hadn't felt for nearly 14 years. It was that of my foster dragon father: Skiadrum. My body was still pulsing uncomfortably and I was unable to move. Sting appeared to be in a similar scenario. I bent my head and closed my eyes in an attempt to control my heart that was beating too fast for me to handle. What's happening to us?

 **YASEIKA POV**

I can't believe this. Him? He's the one that was chosen for me by fate? That's impossible. I forfeited that possibility of my life the moment I made my choice in the year X771. I can't afford to think like that now. I can't feel this way about anybody. I can't feel anything about anybody.

I managed to turn the corner before it started. The pulsing inside of my body. It was ready to take over my body and consume me. It was threatening to take control during the fight, but now it was raging. Then I heard a voice I had been waiting to hear for a very long time. Something inside of me roared and I felt as though I was melting.

My eye closed and I touched my eyepatch briefly. It was time. It was time to complete part of my mission: to kill the Black Dragon Acnologia. All I could hope was that I would be able to keep my promise to Titania. While I do not personally care for her, she deserves to know the truth. They all do.

 **Okay so as I'm writing this I realize that Yaseika may sound exactly like Michelle, in terms of her personality. I will say now that that was not intentional. She is different from Michelle, but I guess to make it easier, if you don't get what she acts like or looks like, just look up Michelle when she was part of the Oracion Seis.**

 **Also I just recently added a picture as the cover photo of what I imagine Yaseika to look like as my description may not be clear enough.**


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter Twenty: Return of the Dragons

 **NATSU POV**

I had a feeling that Lucy had done something while Happy and I had been captured. She saved our butts, but when I managed to find her again, she lying flat on the ground, trembling as tears fell down her face. I couldn't focus on that now though. After eating the flames of one of the Nine Demons, I had a fire in belly just raging to get loose. Juvia, Gajeel, Gray and I each had a single enemy to fight as there were four demons.

Gray, as well as the guy that froze me before, the guy that smelled like Gray, disappeared as the enemy took him off to an unknown place to battle. Juvia took on this massive skeleton, while Gajeel and I battled a demon each. Juvia took down her demon by forcing herself to be absorbed by his body, but when she made him explode, she collapsed, as his body had contained these particles that took Laxus and the others out before.

Gajeel and I turned our fight into a competition and I was introduced to his Iron Shadow Dragon Mode. Whatever though, my Lightning Flame Dragon Mode is way cooler. I didn't really get a lot of opportunity to show it off though since one of the demons created this evil water. Everything went black, and next thing I knew, both demons were defeated, everything was covered in ice, and Lucy, Juvia, Levy and…Laxus were laying nearby unconscious.

I managed to get the whole story from Gajeel. He managed to defeat his enemy with Levy's help, but he didn't have enough magic to take care of the guy that was left. Then Laxus appeared out of nowhere and while he was clearly suffered from the particle poisoning from before, he still fought and managed to mostly defeat the guy I was fighting. Laxus collapsed and before anything else could happen, the entire area turned to ice, including the demon and the anti-magic particles that the demons had released. Gray showed up shortly after, his eyes had a dead but furious look in them. He didn't make any move to help us, instead walking past all of us, claiming that he would defeat Tartaros.

As Gajeel was talking, Lucy, Levy and Juvia woke up. Juvia looked like she was freaking out at hearing Gray's condition. I was worried about Lucy, as she physically seemed better, but her eyes held pain in them. What had happened to her?

My ears then picked up on a sound that I never thought I would hear again. My heart rate spiked and I could feel sweat flowing down my face. At my change of posture, the others became worried. I asked if Gajeel could hear the voice in the wind. A moment passed, and then his eyes widened in understanding. Another moment passed and it felt as though my entire body was throbbing in time with my quickly beating heart. I bent over and couldn't find the strength to stand. I felt Lucy's hand on my shoulder briefly but she screeched in pain and retracted her hand, crying out about how it burned. I heard Levy ask Gajeel if he was alright, and it appeared that we were in similar situations.

Then I heard Lucy whisper, "No way…not him?!" She had realized it now herself. The dragon of all evil Acnologia was swiftly approaching, attacking us for whatever reason.

I could suddenly hear Igneel's voice inside my head. He said many things that didn't make any sense. He had hidden himself in my body? Then before I knew it, he appeared in front of me. I was in shock as were all of the others. The dragon that I had been looking for all of this time, just revealed himself out of nowhere? Igneel charged upwards into the sky, meeting Acnologia mid-attack. I could feel tears fall down my face. My dad. He's here. Then rage began to consume me and fire flared up around my body. Before I even knew what I was doing, I was using my fire to propel me in the air up towards Igneel, screaming in anger.

I landed on Igneel's wing, but it was only a minute later when I was swiped into Igneel's claws, that I realized exactly what I had gotten myself into. The epic fight between dragons. When Igneel had temporarily distracted Acnologia, Dad gave me a special job: to retrieve the book of END that Mard Geer was holding. I was given special instructions to not destroy it. Then he promised he would answer all of my questions.

I did what Igneel told me to. I attacked Mard Geer, only to be joined by the Twin Dragons of Sabertooth not long after. As we fought, they told me that they had met Yaseika and were asking me about her. Rogue in particular seemed interested. I told them what I knew about her in my past and what happened on Tenrou Island, but when they told me how she ran off in the middle of the fight against Mard Geer and the information he revealed, I couldn't help but feel more worried for her. _A demon…? No way…she wouldn't do that…would she?_ Memories and the words of the other guild members echoed in my mind.

Her overall unchanged and non-aging appearance.

The mother of Ayumi praying for me and Lucy, but not for Yaseika.

"Some sister Natsu's got. Can't seem to do anything but frown and stare."

"She looks and smells like crap. Body odor and overall cleanliness are a part of accepted society."

"What I don't understand is how she can be so powerful, especially since she has been supposedly locked away in her mind for nearly two decades. She didn't even use a shred of her magic."

"This is just who I really am. I'm not the person that you think me to be." Her eye clouded over again, almost as though she didn't recognize me…

Mard Geer had temporarily been grounded when Sting pointed up to the sky and shouted, "Look! There's another dragon helping to fight Acnologia!" I shocked myself out of my thoughts turned to face upwards and saw that he was right. Another dragon had appeared during my distraction and had joined the fight. The dragon that appeared to be helping Igneel was smaller and slimmer than him, but was a slightly darker shade of red. The dragon let out a powerful roar, hitting its target with brilliant flame. When the light of the moon and explosions hit just right, I could see some scales with a faint tinge of blue in them, while they were predominantly red.

 _Another fire dragon? But I thought Igneel and Atlas Flame, the one I met during the Grand Magic Games, were the only ones. The only ones left anyways._

However, as I was watching, it appeared as though Igneel and the other dragon were fighting themselves. Not as violently as against Acnologia, but there seemed to be some kind of arguing back and forth. What could they be arguing about? I was too far away to hear anything. I could hear Mard Geer rise and so I returned my attention to my fight now. Igneel gave me a job to do. I won't let him down. He said he would answer my questions later. I'm going to hold him to that promise.

 **LUCY POV**

Watching the dragons fight in the sky was breathtaking and terrifying at the same time. The three moved smoothly, trading blows. It was quickly clear that the newcomer dragon was also a fire dragon, one that Igneel seemed to have a not-so-nice history with. But I don't remember Natsu mentioning any fire dragon other than Igneel and Atlas Flame. So who is this new one?

As much as we wanted to watch, Juvia collapsing again reminded us of the situation we were in. Levy and Gajeel took Juvia and Laxus to Porlyusica so they could be healed using the blood of the demon that created the anti-magic particles. Slowly, I made my way around the debris of the fallen fortress managing to meet up with the other members of Fairy Tail in order to tell them about what is happening. I explained the dragon fight, when Wendy showed up saying that there were more of Face. Too many to destroy on our own. Warren managed to contact the other guilds, enlisting their help. Still, the task was daunting. Would we be able to stop this threat in time?

 **That's all for this chapter. Hope you enjoyed! Also if you don't really get what's going on since you haven't caught up to the subbed anime/manga, I suggest you do so in order for the events I'm describing to make more sense. I am altering them slightly, but the general basis is primarily the same.**


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21: End of the Battle, but Not the War

 **NATSU POV**

I barely even understand what is even happening at this point.

In the middle of my fight with Mard Geer, Gray shows up out of nowhere, his body emanating the same type of magic as the enemy who had frozen me solid before. He called himself an Ice Devil Slayer, one who can defeat demons, the magic inherited through the demise of his father.

 _So that's who that guy was…and it explains why Gray smelled like him…_

Together, we took on Mard Geer while Sting and Rogue fought a demonic Jiemma, their previous guild master. Mard Geer used some kind of forbidden spell that should have put us six feet under, but when the smoke cleared, I could see Gray in front of me, half of his body transformed by this evil blackness. He looked just like a demon itself. It reminded me of something I had discovered during the dragon attack after the Grand Magic Games. Future Rogue had come from the past to enslave dragons and defeat Acnologia. He tried to kill Lucy, only for the future version of herself to take the full blast and die herself.

The Future Rogue and I battled harshly after that. I was so angry, I wanted to kill him myself. To make him pay. Instead, I ended up destroying the gate he came through, and as he was shimmering away, he told me that he wasn't always consumed by darkness. The event that triggered his fall was his partner Exceed Frosch's death, followed shortly thereafter by the death of the one he loved most. Frosch's death was to occur one year from then…by the hands of Gray Fullbuster. I didn't believe him at the time, but seeing Gray now, covered in this evil blackness, a mad and furious look in his eye, I realized that there could be some truth in Future Rogue's statement. If Gray was possessed by those shadows, who knew what was going to happen?

Gray collapsed though, leaving the rest of the fight to me. As a result, I somehow managed to enter Dragon Force, and through Gray's cunning and our combined strength, we were able to defeat Mard Geer. Sting and Rogue took down their enemy too.

Even so, Mard Geer still taunted us with his mind, speaking of Yaseika and how she had countless secrets. Then my strength began to fail me. I collapsed, only to see the others in a similar position. Mard Geer began to cackle about Face being activated momentarily, and that magic was about to vanish and END would rise. A sudden crash nearby turned my attention away from Mard Geer. When the dust cleared, I could see my dad towering over the unconscious body of Acnologia. A fierce claw came down upon the Black dragon's chest, pinning him to the ground. Looking up, I could see the other dragon hovering high above the ground, far enough away for me to not be able to distinguish it very well. But I could sense it was there.

Igneel told us to not lose faith, and a moment later, our saviors arrived. The other dragons appeared, clearly the other foster parents of the First and Third Generation dragon slayers. With quick but strong strikes, they managed to defeat the thousands of Face statues across the continent within minutes. Igneel began to speak, explaining that he and all of the other dragon parents had been lying dormant inside the slayers' bodies in order to prevent us from transforming into mindless cruel dragons like Acnologia. He seemed troubled when he said this and his eyes flickered up to the sky. Before I could even react, Acnologia had forced himself up from the ground, resuming the battle. The third dragon charged as well, joining the violent fray. Igneel yelled for me to get the book that Mard Geer was holding. He would answer the rest of my questions later.

That reminded me. I turned around to see that Gray was holding the book, a dark look in his eye. He said that he would destroy END without fail. He made that promise to his father. We glared at each other for some time, each waiting for the other to make a threatening move. I couldn't let Gray destroy that book. Igneel told me not to, so I will not let it be destroyed.

I could sense that Sting and Rogue were both worried about us. Then before anybody could say a word, the book shimmered in Gray's hand and vanished into thin air. I thought for sure that he had somehow destroyed it without my knowledge, but he said he hadn't done anything. Then I felt a familiar dark presence, the feeling crawling over my skin.

I heard his voice before I saw him, "This is my book…I'm taking it back now." Before I turned around, I could hear the gasps of everyone, as well as eyes widening. I turned around to find him standing there, his hand closed around the book tenderly, "This is a very important book."

I gasped, "Zeref."

I could hear Sting and Rogue gasp in shock. This was their first time meeting the Black Wizard after all. Zeref slowly walked towards us, acknowledging Mard Geer, whose eyes and mouth were frozen open in shock. He praised Mard Geer for only being one step away from reviving END, and added that the Demon of Chaos was awakening herself slowly as they spoke. I gasped. _No…Yaseika…_

Zeref told Mard Geer to sleep now. The demon attempted to offer his services to Zeref but all he got in reply was, "No. You can't." He snapped his fingers. A brilliant flash of light later, where Mard Geer was once lying was a book, similar in style to that of the book of END. A moment after that, the book burned into a pile of ashes. I was aghast. I didn't like Mard Geer, but Zeref just tossed aside someone willing to serve him like a piece of trash. You don't do that to people.

Gray ended up speaking my thoughts, but Zeref calmly replied that Gray was right, but he no longer had a need for Mard Geer anymore. He turned to me and spoke, "I came here to settle things between us," he looked up to the sky, "But Acnologia got in the way." The last bit he almost muttered to himself, "Will Acnologia end yet another era? Or will some miracle happen? Even I can't tell."

He returned his gaze back to me and he said, "If you can survive these circumstances, then…" his eyes turned blood red, "I shall give you even more despair." Gray, Sting, Rogue and I could do nothing but stare and ponder his statements as he turned away from us and vanished into the air. It was only after he left that we realized that he had taken the book of END with him.

I could hear a large crash onto the ground nearby and I could hear Igneel inside my mind once more. Without thinking, I took off in the direction of the destruction, without paying any regard to Gray shouting my name. Acnologia was attacking Igneel harshly, barely giving him any time to react. Dad explained that he remained inside of my body in order to create the antibodies to prevent me from turning into a dragon, but he also stayed hidden in order to wait for the right time to attack and defeat Acnologia. I didn't want to hear this now. He sounded like he was planning on going away again. I would help him. I would help him fight.

The other dragon pummeled into Acnologia, who had been pinning Igneel down. All three dragons rose into the sky and as the third dragon flew up, I noticed that it looked at me briefly with its left eye, golden yellow regarding me, only to ignore me. However, this was enough time. Enough time for Acnologia to charge at the dragon unawares. I tried to cry out in warning, but Igneel did something that would haunt my memories forever. He managed to shove the other dragon out of the way, his teeth baring as Igneel and Acnologia collided. When they parted, I could see that Igneel was holding one of the Black Dragon's arms in his jaw. But upon closer inspection, I could see that dad had fared way worse. Half of his body was gone. The shock of the pain seemed to wear off quickly as he dropped the arm that he was holding and began to lose altitude, plunging headfirst to the ground. Acnologia simply continued on his path, flying away from the fight.

The other dragon raced after Acnologia, but he simply knocked the unfamiliar dragon down as well, landing far away from the wreckage of the cube. Most likely just outside of Magnolia. The sun was just beginning to peek out over the mountains in the east. I couldn't speak. I didn't know what to say. Igneel landed hard on the ground, and it didn't look like that he was moving. I could feel the tears welling up inside of me and eventually it all came out in one big scream, "IGNEEL!"


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22: The Dawn of a New Era

 **NATSU POV**

I had long since collapsed to my knees, unable to keep myself upright. Sobs wracked my body. I could smell Happy nearby, also shedding tears. The King of the Fire Dragons, my dad, Igneel was lying there dead in front of me. I mourned for some time, before I could swear that I could hear his voice in my mind, a memory perhaps? Igneel's body began to glow in front of me, slowly fading out of existence.

His voice said, "Come on Natsu. What have I told you to do when you are feeling sad?" I sniffled, but the tears began to stem slightly. He continued, "Come on, stand on your feet."

I did as he said, and just as his body completely faded into particles lifting to the sky, I screamed, "I will avenge you Igneel! I will get stronger! I'll beat Acnologia!" I could hear Igneel praise me and urge me forward, to look to the future. I looked towards the crash site of the other dragon. I decided to head there first, see if I could maybe become allies with it, then I would do what I needed to in order to become stronger. I would do anything.

 **LUCY POV**

We did it. We defeated Tartaros and saved the continent. The dragon parents had come to our rescue and it was all over.

Still, I can't really say that we won though.

I watched Igneel and the other dragon be defeated by Acnologia in one blow. I could see Igneel's injuries, and I knew then that he was going to die. I could only imagine what Natsu was feeling. The pain of losing a loved one. I knew that feeling. My heart clenched painfully in my chest, and I wanted to be there for him, but he was currently out of sight.

Then the other dragons that had destroyed Face had a very brief heartfelt reunion with their slayer children, but it didn't last very long. They revealed their reasons for entering the slayers' bodies through the secret art: to prevent them from turning into dragons like Acnologia, to defeat Acnologia at the right time…and to prolong their already lost lives.

That's right. The dragons had their souls taken away by Acnologia about 400 years ago, and the dragons before us were already dead. As they finished speaking, they praised us all for our endeavors and wished us luck for the future. They finished with praising Igneel. Even at a fraction of his strength, he was able to harm Acnologia. We were not to allow any tarnishing of his legacy. He loved humans more than any other dragons, willing to take on two human children and do anything to protect the human race. With that, the dragons faded away into particles that rose into the sky.

Wendy screamed and cried, and the other dragon slayers had no words to say as this was their last conversation with their dragon parents.

A week has passed since the end of the battle against Tartaros. We all were still healing, both physically and mentally. We all lost something during this fight, so I don't feel like we won. The dragon slayers were still recovering from the loss of their parents. Wendy in particular had been forced to grow up significantly during the fight and lost some of her childlike innocence she had before. Laxus and the Thunder God Tribe all were fully recovered, but each were feeling insecure and weak. They couldn't protect those that they cared about, and thus felt guilty for not being strong enough. Erza had been tortured apparently while a captive of Tartaros, and I could see her going off by herself a lot, most likely to help deal with the mental trauma. Gray had lost his father again, and Juvia carried the guilt of causing his father's death, by killing the skeleton necromancer who had brought Gray's father back to life. Natsu and Happy have not been seen since then, but I could imagine why.

And me?

I'm still struggling to grasp that I could no longer see Aquarius ever again. I hung the shattered remain of the key around my neck, weighing as a constant reminder of her. I threw the book of Fate against the wall in anger, as it seemed to tell the future, yet it didn't tell me about anything that was going to happen in the battle against Tartaros. It didn't tell me about the dragons, about Aquarius, nothing! I could have been more prepared, but it didn't tell me anything.

Still, we are all slowly healing. Magnolia was slowly building itself back together. We eventually sent a team to check out the crash site of where the other helping dragon had fallen, however, when we got there, there was evidence of a crash, but no dragon. We decided it was safe to assume that the dragon had also ascended to the heavens with the other dragons.

Erza did mention to us the information that Mard Geer had presented during their fight, about how Yaseika was the hidden Demon of Chaos. I didn't know whether I should believe it or not. Except for briefly during the fight against Tartaros, she hadn't been seen by anybody in Magnolia. She had just vanished off the map. I was tempted to ask the book of Fate for information, but I figured I would get the same response as before: nothing. For some reason, whenever I asked for information on Yaseika, the book was either deliberately vague, or didn't tell me anything at all. So the book stayed where it was on the floor.

Before Sting and Rogue left to return to Sabertooth, they said that they would keep a lookout for Yaseika, both in caution and in worry. If those statements by Mard Geer were true, then Yaseika's disappearance isn't a good thing.

I returned back to my apartment, which had surprisingly remained mostly intact during the fight. I could sense a presence in my bedroom. I burst in, expecting Happy and Natsu to be there, as they were the only ones that still broke into my apartment. But I was shocked to find the room empty. It felt warm, as though Natsu had been there not very long ago. I saw a letter on the table. I opened it, recognizing the horrible handwriting as Natsu's. I read it through once. Then twice. Before I screamed.

 _What…! No way!_

 _ **Hey Lucy!**_

 _ **Happy and I are going on a trip to train ourselves. We'll be back in a year or so. Tell the others for us okay?**_

 _ **Natsu**_

I ran towards the demolished guild hall as quickly as I could, tears beginning to flow down my face. The pain of losing Aquarius ran anew through my mind. If they left too…I'd be all alone. _YOU IDIOTS!_

I got to the guild hall to announce his news when I could see that the master was making an announcement of his own.

He spoke, "I hereby am disbanding the Fairy Tail guild! Fly you brats! Create your own destiny at the beginning of this brand new era!" We all were standing there, stunned, before an explosion of rage occurred. Everybody was arguing against the disbandment, but Master would hear nothing of it. I was stuck where I was, unable to move unable to speak. My mind was whirling. _No. Aquarius. Happy. Natsu. Fairy Tail._

I collapsed to my knees and began to cry. Everything that I loved was being taken away from me before my very eyes. I couldn't do this. I couldn't handle it.

 **NATSU POV**

I hated to leave Lucy and the others like that. But I have to get stronger. I swear, I'll get stronger, so I can protect all of you!

 **YASEIKA POV**

I woke up in an unfamiliar place, only to remember what had happened the previous day. Running away, Igneel returning, only to die against the enemy I couldn't kill 20 years ago. Had I killed him then, then Igneel would still be alive. In fact, he wouldn't have abandoned me like he did.

I was pondering over his last request to me, "Remember your oath." Yeah. I remember it. My oath to protect Natsu. I wish I didn't. I wished I could kill him myself. No. I must protect him, even though he has unknowingly betrayed me.

I rose to leave this place when I sensed a dark presence. I growled low to turn and find him standing there, the Black Wizard. I got ready to attack, but I didn't yet, as he appeared, smiling faintly at me. My entire body tensed as I waited. Even if he did want to kill me, he couldn't. So what did he want from me?

He spoke first, "I'm surprised to see you way out here Yaseika, daughter of Igneel, the Fire Dragon Heiress." I didn't say anything so he continued, "It is time for me to inform you of something important. It will influence what you choose to do."

I snarled back, "And what if I just decide to kill you now?"

He bent his head downward and murmured, "You and I both know that that is impossible. Only one being can kill me. My greatest creation END, my brother." That was new. I didn't think that someone like him would have a brother. He chuckled and added, "Or should I say, _our_ brother."

My heart rate spiked, "What?" I growled harshly. I could feel my emotions growing out of control, slowly losing my senses to instinct. _Keep it together…I can't lose yet…_

He explained, "END, or should I say, _Etherious Natsu Dragneel_." My heart stopped in my chest. Could this really be true? He continued, "He was once my brother, but he was killed in a dragon raid 400 years ago. I only recently was able to succeed in resurrecting him as my strongest demon. I placed him in the care of Igneel, in order for him to become strong enough to kill me." He looked me in the eye, "But I did not expect for him to already have a pupil."

My mind was struggling to retain all of this new information. I had never been aware of this, despite my past contract. That could possibly explain Igneel's actions when Natsu was a child, but I wasn't sure. I would have to research it later. The Black Wizard didn't seem to move to attack me so I cautiously asked him, "Why are you telling me this?"

He replied coolly, "END will rise again. The human half of Natsu shall burn away to reveal his true demon calling. His awakening has temporarily been delayed, but he will rise to kill me soon." He held a hand out to me, "As well as the Demon of Chaos."

I backed away, "I'm not that monster anymore. I locked it away."

He chuckled, "But even now you are struggling to keep control. You can't use it to kill me, as you are not strong enough. But you are destined to release it in order to kill Acnologia." I stiffened and he continued, "He is a nuisance and keeps getting in the way. You will kill him in the future."

I didn't deny this, but I did ask, "What about Natsu? The human half I mean."

He shrugged, "I couldn't care less. As long as his other half awakens to kill me, I couldn't care less about the human side." He raised his hands towards me but I didn't move.

I glared, "I swore to protect Natsu. If that means killing you myself, I will."

He smirked, "But you don't seem to care about him much, do you. You hate him. You wanted him to die as a child."

He was playing me, calling my bluff. I said nothing.

He sighed and turned away from me, "Besides, you can't kill me anyway. Even though we are both afflicted. You. Me. Mavis. We are all intertwined by the same fate." His eyes became soft, "I loved her, but then I lost her." I didn't understand what he was saying. _Is this the choice that Miss Mavis was talking about?_

He turned back, his eyes turning dark red, "We all are going to die. I will make sure of it." I was not surprised by his outburst and I kept my cool as he moved away from me, walking into the thicket of the forest.

I looked up towards the sun and then down at myself. I remembered hearing Igneel's words to me and I clenched my fist. It was time to get to work. I would kill Acnologia, and I would train to help Natsu be prepared to kill the Black Wizard. Despite the fact I hate him, and knowing he is one of the demons that I needed to kill, Natsu is the key to my salvation, so I must help him. Then I will be able to kill him. Then I can rest in peace.


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23: One Year Later

 **LUCY POV**

It's been a year since the disbandment of Fairy Tail. I couldn't find it in my heart to leave Magnolia and join another wizard guild, so I actually left for Crocus and joined Sorcerer Weekly Magazine as an editor. From time to time, I actually try to use the book of Fate in order to keep tabs on everybody else. All of the others left Magnolia to find their own futures. I knew that Wendy had joined Lamia Scale, and Levy, Gajeel, and Lily had joined the Magic Council, surprisingly. However, I couldn't find much else on most of the others.

I've tried to search for Natsu too, but the book simply said something about how I didn't have enough magical power to view that answer. I didn't understand it, but regardless, I trained every day to get stronger, so I won't need to sacrifice another gold key. If I lost anyone else, I think I wouldn't be able to handle it.

I was sent to the stadium where the Grand Magic Games were taking place. I needed to cover the story as part of my job. I was watching the games with disinterest though. None of the big guilds from last year were participating. Not Sabertooth, or Lamia Scale, or Blue Pegasus, Mermaid Hell, even Quatro Cerberus didn't show up. I had a feeling it was because Fairy Tail was disbanded. We were the strongest guild after all. Maybe they didn't see much point in participating because it would be too easy to beat the minor guilds.

All I could think of instead was when I was actually part of the games with the Fairy Tail guild…and Natsu. I missed him terribly. He was annoying sometimes, but he's become such a constant presence in my life, it's hard to live life without him.

Still, as a reporter, I was able to find leads and rumors that could maybe lead to the others. But, I'm scared to go after them. They all left so fast, what if they didn't want to come back? Was I just being selfish? With the Book of Fate and my job, I've actually compiled a lot of data. There were some people that I hadn't heard anything about, like Gray, Erza, or Cana. Still, one person I haven't heard anything about is very troubling. Yaseika hasn't shown her face anywhere. Between the knowledge of her explosive power, as well as the rumors of her true heritage, it was a risk for her to be wandering around. I wondered what could have happened to her.

It was the last day of the games, and I managed to correctly predict the outcome, despite the seemingly obvious odds. I was bored. I wanted adventure again. Just as everybody was celebrating, I got my wish. A figure in a billowing black cloak walked into the arena. The face of the person was covered but I could sense an incredible amount of magical power. On instinct, I yelled for everybody to run. Chaos erupted around me.

The cloaked figure spoke to the mages in the arena in a deep voice, "You lot are the strongest guild in Fiore, eh?"

The mages grunted, "Yeah, so what?"

The cloaked figure charged forward shouting, "I am your next challenger." With a single punch, the figure knocked most of the strong mages flat on their backs. The entire arena erupted with intense heat, so much that my clothes began to smolder.

 _Wait a minute…HEAT!?_

The wind created by the release of magical knocked back the hood of the cloak of the intruder, and I could look upon his face for the first time in a year. His pointed canines glinted as he smiled mischievously. His onyx eyes dilated in concentration and excitement of the battle. His salmon colored hair was longer. His body looked battered, but he did appear stronger, both by the magic that was released and by the strength in his stance. He looked…like a dragon's kin.

I screeched, "NATSU!?" I could hear other shouts of his name as people recognized him, but I couldn't tear my eyes away from him. He had changed pretty significantly over the past year. But I would recognize him without fail.

Then I could hear another familiar voice from behind me, "Lucy! Sorry to keep you waiting!" I turned to see Happy floating there, grinning like he normally was.

Tears began to flow down my face and I turned back to Natsu to see that he was looking up in my direction, his nose held high. His eyes met mine and he broke out into an even wider smile. He shouted, "Lucy!" I couldn't help but smile back. He was back.

He ended up getting captured by the army, but he was released shortly thereafter on the pardon of the king. We began to talk, when I realized that he didn't know about Fairy Tail's disbandment. He was angry at first, ranting on about how it was insane that the guild would just break up and everybody was okay with it. I was angry with him then, as he was one of the first of all of us to leave.

Though, after we had both cooled down, I did tell him that I had been trying to keep up with the others, but it wasn't a perfect system. Primarily, it was through rumors, so the information wasn't necessarily accurate or relevant, but it was enough for now. I told him what I knew.

He quietly asked, "You hear anything about Gray?" I shook my head. He had been off my radar this whole time. Natsu's expression turned serious and he turned away from me. Then he asked, "Any news about Rogue?"

I was confused, "He's fine, as is the rest of Sabertooth." I moved around him so he was looking at me, "What are you thinking?"

He grunted, "Just a hunch." He stretched his arms, his muscles becoming noticeably taut. His eyes were closed as though he was thinking hard about something. His eyes snapped open and he added, "Do you know where Yaseika is?"

I answered, "No. She disappeared after the battle. Even earlier than you. Nobody's seen her since then." He turned towards the door, muttering to himself. I asked him, "What is going on?"

He said, "I might as well tell you." He looked towards Happy, "You too. I've been keeping something secret, and it seems like it's about time."

I prodded, "About time for what?"

 **NATSU POV**

I explained to them what Future Rogue had told me at the end of our fight, about how Gray and he met as enemies at around this time in the time stream. I didn't tell them that Gray actually killed Frosch, as well as the person that Rogue loved most, who was still a mystery to me. I didn't want to overly worry them. But I also told them about the black marks I had seen on Gray's body during the fight against Mard Geer. Perhaps…as a result of him learning Devil Slaying Magic too fast, Gray has somehow become a demon himself.

I could hear Lucy's heartbeat race at my theory and tears began to stream down her cheeks. I knew how she was feeling. I didn't want to believe that any of my friends, even Gray, could become evil.

I also told her what rumors I heard of Yaseika and I was surprised to hear that she was aware of them. Apparently Erza had discovered the same information as well. I told Lucy that I was concerned and that I wanted answers from her. Lucy said that apparently Yaseika had promised Erza to confirm or throw away the rumors of her being a demon, once the battle was over. Obviously, that didn't happen.

I made a decision then, "Lucy. You said you don't know where Gray is. Do you know where Juvia is maybe?"

Her eyes widened as she understood what I was asking. She answered, "Maybe. There's a rumor of a place called Rainfall Village, where it never stops raining. I suspect that she might be there." Even as she spoke, I could see worry enter her expression. Juvia is known to cause rainfall when she is upset. She used to cause continuous rain before she joined Fairy Tail because of her depression. Then she met Gray and the rain disappeared. What could have happened that caused her to rewind back into her original state?

I went to the door, "Come on. I got to do something first, but then it's off to Rainfall Village. We are going to revive Fairy Tail!"


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24: Avatar

 **LUCY POV**

Let's just say that a lot of stuff has happened since Natsu showed up to end the Grand Magic Games.

When Natsu says that he needs to "do something first", remind me to smack him upside the head. Before I knew what was happening, we were fleeing from the police as he decided to add flames to the side of the king's castle, spelling out the words "Fairy Tail" in large burning letters. We made our way towards where Rainfall Village was. We passed through Margaret Town, the home city of the ally guild Lamia Scale. There, we found Wendy and Carla, both who have made a nice home for themselves.

Initially, they were hesitant to come with us on our quest to revive Fairy Tail. However, after a bunch of stuff happening, they eventually agreed to come with us. We arrived at Rainfall Village to notice that most of the village was actually fine. There was only a single area just in front of us that was pouring rain down in buckets. Moving forward, we found Juvia there, a sorrowful expression on her face. She looked exhausted, looking downward at the ground. At our approach, she initially jumped up with joy and tried to hug Natsu screaming "Gray-sama!" and promptly collapsed. Based on the state of her clothes and body, it appeared that she had been sitting outside in the rain for a long time.

We brought her inside, where she woke up and explained that she and Gray had been living together for the past year. Then one day, she saw these black marks covering his body. He insisted he was fine, but he started leaving a lot, never telling her where he went. The last time she saw him was six months ago. She's been waiting at their home here since then.

I sensed Natsu tensing beside me and I could guess that he was thinking about the future he had been told. Gray fighting Rogue as an enemy seemed more likely by the minute. I tried asking him what the result of the battle was, but he wouldn't tell me. But since he said that Future Rogue that told him it, does that mean that the result of the battle caused Future Rogue? What could have happened for Rogue to fall into darkness?

When Juvia finished talking, Natsu took me and Happy, leaving Wendy to heal Juvia of her sickness, most likely due to the rain. He said that we needed to go to Sabertooth.

I didn't know the reasoning behind this, but I didn't argue. I hadn't seen Natsu this adamant about something in a long time, so I followed without question for right now.

 **ROGUE POV**

I found a job posting on the board that seemed doable enough. I asked our lady if she wanted to accompany me as Sting was currently recovering from over-eating. Stupid thing to be grounded by if you ask me. He didn't even win the eating competition. She agreed to come with me and we all, including Frosch, left the guild hall on the way to completing the job.

The job was to take down this guild called Avatar. Apparently it was related to Zeref and they've been planning something that put a lot of people at risk. So they came to us to take them down.

Thinking of Zeref reminded me of her, the female fire dragon slayer. It's been a year, but I haven't been able to get her out of my mind. She acted strangely and the feeling that I got from thinking of her was odd as well. But I felt connected to her in a way I hadn't connected to anybody before. No one had seen her, and just thinking about her missing made me feel ill. _Wait…why would I feel ill…? I only met her the one time…_ I decided to not think about it for right now.

Just as Frosch, my lady and I were about to leave the city, I heard someone shouting my name. Turning towards the voice, I was shocked to see Natsu barreling towards me at full speed. I had only just started to speak his name when he grabbed me by the scruff of my clothes and dragged me along. He was shouting, "We need to talk. NOW."

We finally stopped at one of the popular parks in the city and I could get some words in, "Jeez, what's wrong with you? Just when I thought that you came to visit…"

He cut me off, "Are you in love with anybody?"

This caught me off guard and I didn't understand. I answered harshly, "No! What could have possibly caused you to ask that? And why are you even here?"

Natsu cut me off, "Give me the job form."

I stuttered, "Wha…What?"

He snarled, "Give me the damn job request form!" I handed it to him quickly. I didn't know what was going on in his head but he looked angry and…scared?

He looked it over and muttered something to himself and then said, "I'm going to do this job."

That was when I put my foot down, "Hold up. This is a Sabertooth request. Besides you aren't even officially part of a guild anymore."

He looked at me with such intensity that I almost regretted what I said. He replied, "I'm with Fairy Tail. I'm going to do this job for you, and I'll give you all of the reward." This was becoming confusing. He wasn't making any sense and then he added, "In return, I want you to promise me that you and Frosch will not leave this city until I get back."

I thought that Natsu had officially lost it when he dashed off back towards where the ladies and Exceeds were waiting. He grabbed Lucy and Happy and dashed away. I tried asking him why he didn't want me to leave the city but he shouted back to my lady, "Minerva! Don't let Rogue or Frosch leave the city!" They disappeared into the distance.

I asked Minerva, "Do you understand any of this?" She shook her head. Unfortunately, I did not understand either.

Frosch lifted his hand up and said, "Fro doesn't know either." I looked after towards where Natsu and the others had run off. Natsu's words bothered me. Why wouldn't he want me to leave the city?

I heard footsteps from behind me and I turned to see Sting, back to normal apparently, and his Exceed Lector sprinting towards me. Sting asked, "Did Natsu find you?"

I nodded and asked, "He didn't make any sense. Told me to not leave the city." Sting looked perplexed at my words. It was then that I decided that I was going to go after them. Sting said that he would come with me. I asked Minerva if she still wanted to accompany us but she declined. She said she only came along because I didn't have Sting available as a partner. As he had clearly recovered, she said that she would go back to the guild hall.

Together, as the Twin Dragons of Sabertooth, we made our way towards the location of the job request, the dark guild Avatar.


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25: Wishes Fall from the Heavens

 **This is another long chapter, so be ready to sit down for a while till the end. I do not explain about Yaseika in this chapter, but it is coming soon.**

 **LUCY POV**

This is crazy!

Natsu suspects that Gray might somehow be related to Avatar! We got to the site of Avatar's base and managed to sneak in. Then Natsu being Natsu screamed out Gray's name. I chastised him only for a figure to turn around the corner. With a pang, I recognized him. He looked drastically different: his hair was longer and spikier, and his body was almost half covered by an evil blackness. He was wearing a long coat, similar to the outfit that I first met him in. But his cool dark blue eyes were the same. He scoffed at us and muttered, "It's you." His voice was dark, filled with more scathing that I had only heard him use against those who followed Zeref. But here he was, one of the top soldiers of the Black Wizard.

Natsu and Gray briefly exchanged words and began to fight, harder than I had ever seen them go against each other. Only when Gray's coat had flown off during the fight did I see his chest where he guild mark usually was. Instead of the proud Fairy Tail mark, the guild mark of Avatar appeared in white on his darkened skin. He smirked at my surprise and said, "Fairy Tail is dead. I erased its mark with my own hands."

I ended up slapping him in the face. I didn't really think about it, but it just kind of happened. I was so angry at his disregard for what Fairy Tail stood for. But my anger caused Happy, Natsu and I to all get captured. After a while, I was about to be tortured for information and eventually killed when the guy that was holding the knife froze. Literally.

All of our restraints felt like they were becoming cold and eventually shattered because of the temperature. We were so confused, especially when Gray came around the corner, without any black marks, using a very small lacrima. Natsu looked ready to fight when Gray tossed him the lacrima and told him to put it to his ear. Natsu looked hesitant, but he did and nearly dropped the lacrima. Natsu jumped and screeched, "Erza!"

Long story short, Erza had been requested to investigate the dark guild Avatar by Jellal and his independent guild. She had enlisted Gray's help after hearing about his condition. Gray had learned from Porlyusica how to control the marks at will. He used it in order to cover his Fairy Tail mark with that of Avatar. His black guild mark still shone proudly on his upper chest. But, using this ability, he infiltrated the ranks of the dark guild in order to hopefully find out information and eventually take them down. I asked why Juvia didn't know about this. Gray looked upset and Erza answered over the lacrima that she was the one that forbade Gray from telling Juvia about the plan. The fewer people that knew the truth, the less of a chance of being caught. However, she did say that the infiltration wasn't meant to last this long.

It only kept going because Gray discovered that he only infiltrated one branch. All of the branches were due to gather today in order to sacrifice the members of a town in order to summon the Black Wizard. That's where we were going now, in order to stop them. Erza said that she would meet us there when she could.

 ***Time skip because I don't feel like explaining the fight too much***

 **NATSU POV**

We won.

These guys weren't even that much of a challenge, probably because of all the training I did. Everyone else seemed to get stronger too. Erza had a few new armors, Gray seemed good at using his Devil Slaying Magic, Wendy can access Dragon Force at will, and Juvia appeared healthy again to fight at our side. Lucy had gotten way stronger too. She gained magic that was similar to Erza's, which made her scary but more badass too.

Levy, Metalhead, and Lily all appeared in order to arrest all of the dark guild members and it looked like that the current threat was over. But then I heard Gray say, "You're Frosch from Sabertooth right?" I instantly panicked and turned to see that the Exceed in question was standing there, with Rogue nowhere in sight. I instantly panicked and realized that Rogue had broken his promise. I was about to intervene when Gray picked up Frosch and hugged him, exclaiming how cute he was.

It was then that I looked at the two of them together, Gray looking happier than I had seen him for a while, laughing out loud. I determined that the threat that Future Rogue had warned me about was over. Frosch was not in danger and Gray clearly was not evil. Thus, the future was saved. Still, I think that the fact that Gray was to kill Frosch in Future Rogue's timeline will remain secret. I don't know a lot about time, but I don't want to accidently mess it up. So I won't tell anybody the truth. Not Rogue, not Gray and not Lucy.

Seeing her after all this time made me feel so happy. I hadn't wanted to leave her before, but I didn't have a choice back then. I felt bad because she had to go through the loss of losing Aquarius and Fairy Tail all by herself. But we were all together as a team again. Things can only get better.

Then I heard footsteps quickly approaching. I turned around to see Rogue, Sting, and Lector running up to us. Rogue was a bit annoyed at Frosch running off on his own, but he was overall cool with it. Things were finally calming down when I sensed a familiar presence. It felt comforting, but at the same time dangerous.

I froze up mid-sentence, and the others asked what was wrong. Then I noticed that Rogue's eyes had dilated more and began to breathe heavily. Did we sense the same being?

Then somebody shouted, "Look! Something's falling from the sky!" They pointed upwards and following their pointing, I could see a small figure falling from a very high height. The figure was covered in black, so I couldn't tell who it was, but before I could even react, Rogue jumped into action.

 **ROGUE POV**

This feeling. I sense her. I sense Yaseika nearby.

I don't understand why I would be aware of her presence so accurately. I had only met her the one time. It was only a minute later that Natsu seemed to react as well. When I looked up at the sky and saw the figure falling, I didn't even think. My body just moved on its own. I leaped up as high as I could and managed to catch the free-falling figure in my arms about 20 feet away from the ground.

I landed hard on my feet, and noticed that I was breathing heavily. I've done more strenuous things before without having a problem. Why was my body panicking now?

I could hear the others surround me as I examined the twitching and writhing body in my arms. The face was covered by a black cloak, as was the rest of the body. But I could feel something hard on one of the sides. Pulling the cloak back, I could hear gasps erupting from around me. Her hair was the same length as the last time I saw her, but now the red had appeared to consume more of the blue, leaving only a few inches of blue left. The symbol on her black eyepatch was pulsing with a bright light.

There was no question. This was definitely Yaseika.

I felt somebody pull me away from her and I reacted on instinct. I could feel the shadows inside of me react to the loss when Sting put a hand on my shoulder. I calmed instantly and I began to question myself: why was I reacting so strongly? I barely even knew her.

Moves were made to bring her back to the city where Sabertooth was situated as Magnolia was too far away at the moment. Since the moment I had caught her, I found myself drifting to her side, carefully watching over her body that was still moving on its own. Her eye was shut tightly and I could see her eye moving furiously under the closed lid. A nightmare perhaps? Then why had she fallen from the sky?

 ***a few hours later***

Yaseika still hasn't woken up.

She appeared to open her eye at one point and she looked right at me, but it was only a moment later that she collapsed again. It was determined that for that moment, she was unconscious, but still had her eyes open occasionally. Every once in a while she would say something in her sleep. Sometimes it was muttered, other times she screamed so loudly I thought that she had to be awake. But still she lay in the bed.

The doctors attempted to remove the eyepatch from Yaseika's face in order to see the condition of the other eye, but each time someone touched it, the symbol flashed and the person retracted their hand as they had been electrocuted. It was minor, but there was no feasible way to remove the eyepatch. It was then that the little blue girl, Levy I think, said that the symbol on Yaseika's eyepatch meant "to seal, to contain" in a dead language. Erza ended up voicing aloud her concerns regarding the statements of Mard Geer, as well as the mystery that surrounded Yaseika's current condition. More questions were being formed and the only person that could give answers wasn't in a position to do so.

The Fairies, including those on the Council, ended up leaving to go around town to see if anybody knew anything. They were due back any minute now. I think Sting and Lector were really worried, as I didn't want to move from my spot. Only Frosch stayed by me. He was worried too, but he remained to comfort me, and it worked. It was like I was frozen here.

Then I heard a sharp but calm voice, "Where is this? When?" I raised my head to see a purple colored eye look at me, a serene expression on her face. It was the first time I had seen her so calm, it was hard to imagine that the last time I saw her, she snarled at my presence. Now she seemed relaxed. None of those rumors could be true about her.

Then I remembered that she had asked me a question. I answered her with caution, "You are in the host city of Sabertooth. It is August 20, Year X792." I could sense Sting and Lector move closer behind me, but they didn't interrupt. I continued, "Your name is Yaseika Dragneel, correct?"

I could see her stiffen at first, but then she calmed and said, "Yes."

I spoke some more, "My name is Rogue Cheney. Do you remember me?"

Her eye narrowed and she replied, hesitantly, "Yes. Tartaros. Mard Geer. You attempted to help me. Why?"

I was taken aback by her question and honestly did not know what she was talking about, but she continued, "I fell. You tried to help me. I got angry. Yet you are still alive. Why are you kind to me?" Her sentences were mixing together and blurring into one large one, such that I couldn't understand her.

I smelt Natsu and the others returning. They would be here momentarily. So I decided to ask, "You are close to Natsu right? You grew up together?"

I don't know what I said, but saying that caused her to jump up and snarl at me. She was standing on her bed, an arrow already notched in her bow. Her eye was dark, and her expression was feral and angry. _I didn't even see her summon the bow…_ Gone was the calm and complacent girl that I had seen at first. Now what remained was somebody that was enshrouded by hatred and contempt. _Is this the other side of Yaseika Mard Geer was talking about…? Had it been triggered through the conversation…?_

Just then, Natsu and the others chose this time to walk in. At first, Natsu was excited to see Yaseika awake, before Erza stopped him from getting closer. Yaseika's gaze fell on Natsu and she instantly began to grin. But this grin wasn't like Natsu's. This one was malicious and filled with dangerous intent. With a yell, she lunged towards Natsu, her bow somehow gone and instead reaching her hands out, heading for Natsu's neck with lightning speed…

 **Sorry to leave it like that guys, but this chapter is officially over. What has gotten into Yaseika? Why did she fall from the sky? What's up with Rogue?**

 **I discovered that there is no given name for the city that Sabertooth resides in. I didn't feel like giving it an original name. Go figure.**


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter 26: Control

 **Dark themes are coming up in this chapter such as that of cutting and suicide. Don't like then don't read.**

 **LEVY POV**

Thank goodness I had put down those protective charms when we first arrived here.

It took a minute or two for them to activate, just because of the power of the defensive spell, but they clearly worked as currently a still-feral Yaseika loomed on the other side, banging against the barrier in anger. The last few minutes still had everybody reeling. Yaseika had lunged for Natsu's throat, clearly with intention to kill. Erza managed to knock her away just in time, but Yaseika continued to snarl and move slowly, her eye focused on Erza. I called for the others to hold her back long enough for me to activate the runes, but it was more difficult than we had expected. Yaseika didn't even seem to really be human anymore, her movements more reminiscent of an animal than anything else.

She had completely caught us off guard as she had never acted this way before. Something must have happened over the past year in order to bring her to this state.

She beat us up pretty badly with just her fists. No magic was emanating from her, it makes me wonder how powerful she could be with magic and not just any magic, but dragon slayer magic!? We were watching her for a few moments to make sure that the runes would hold up, as she prowled on the other side. While she did twitch her head to the side from time-to-time, she did appear calmer as she slowly just stopped moving and sat down on her bed in a meditative pose. Natsu and Rogue looked like they were both about to lose it. They were both on the verge of tears. I could imagine why Natsu was upset, as he had grown up with her, but why Rogue too? As far as I knew, he had only met her once during the fight against Tartaros.

Yaseika had been sitting quietly, still twitching occasionally for about a half-hour when her hand snapped to her eyepatch. Her other eye went wide in desperation and the other hand grabbed the hand on the eyepatch. They struggled against each other briefly until the one that had been restraining against the eyepatch whipped her sword out of her harness and slashed harshly across her arm. _She was fighting herself…?_ The hand that had been straining for the eyepatch fell limply to her side and her eye softened slightly. She made another cut across the same arm, blood beginning to seep out of the thin wound.

That was when Rogue broke, "Yaseika! Stop!" She didn't appear to hear him as her eye glassed over in relief. She continued making cuts as her entire body began to relax. Bright red began to drip on the white sheets below her, as she made yet another cut. She pressed her hand against them and hissed lowly in pain, but moved her sword into position to make another cut.

Natsu began to roar, "Yaseika, why are you doing this!? STOP!"

Erza then summoned another sword and told me, "Lower the barrier, now!" I got to work. It took a few minutes, with Yaseika still cutting across her arm and wrist area. There were times where I thought I heard her sigh in relief as I heard the faint sound of metal scrape across skin. By the time the runes were down, Yaseika had made at least 20 thin cuts along the same arm.

As soon as the barrier disappeared, Natsu leaped forward and stole the swords and arrows away from Yaseika. She didn't make any move to prevent him from taking them, as her entire expression was blank and unfocused. He put them aside and then he grabbed some bandages on the counter beside Yaseika and immediately moved to wrap the wounds up. Then Yaseika finally reacted and screeched, "No!" She wrenched away from him and curled into a ball in a corner of the room.

Natsu said in anger, "Hold still! I'm trying to help you."

She turned away and didn't move, murmuring "no" to herself. She muttered, "No help. No relief. Just pain. Need pain." Her entire body was shaking and she scratched at the wounds in order to keep them flowing the scarlet liquid.

Then Rogue stepped forward and moved Natsu over, taking the bandages from his hands. More gently than I ever thought possible, I heard his voice ask, "Why do you think that you need pain?"

She stopped shaking but didn't turn to face him, "Pain hurts. Pain keeps me me. Deserve pain. Need pain."

Rogue's expression did not change and he kneeled down to the ground and asked another question, "Why do you deserve pain?"

She still faced the wall and she did appear to hear him, but instead she said, "Promised Titania. Promised Igneel. Promised myself." Erza stiffened at her name but Yaseika continued, "Broke promise. Deserve pain."

Rogue moved closer to Yaseika but no one else dared to move a muscle. He was somehow getting through to her, while Natsu and the others could not. We needed to continue like this for now. Rogue asked finally, "You feel you deserve pain because you broke a few promises?" His voice was calm, not in the slightest bit judgmental. It seemed to be working.

Yaseika finally faced Rogue and I could see that her eye was clear again as she replied, "Not completely true. Promised to explain. Explain why I need pain. To Titania." Her speaking was clearing up and her hands stopped scratching at her arms.

Rogue then said, "Well, we don't know why you deserve pain. Can you explain it to us?"

She stiffened but her expression seemed to return to normal, "I don't know if I can. At least, not here. Not now."

Then Rogue asked, "How about a new promise? When will you tell us about yourself? The real you I mean."

Her gaze fell to the floor and she said, "I can't promise. I can't keep promises."

Then Rogue said, "Okay. You can tell us when you think you can. I'm going to be putting these bandages on you now. Will you give me your arms?" Yaseika shook her head and he followed up with another question, "Do you feel that you need pain for right now?"

Yaseika shook her head again and said, "The struggle is over. I have won. I am me. I am Yaseika Dragneel." She showed her arms to him and in shock, I saw that the cuts that were once present on her arm had disappeared. The skin had returned to its usual untouched self. The only evidence that the last 10 minutes even happened was the blood that was drying on her clothes and the bedsheets.

I knew that the others saw this as well as I heard soft gasps. Rogue seemed as shocked as we were, but didn't let it show too much on his expression. He softly said, "Why don't you go back into bed and rest for a little bit?"

Yaseika shook her head and said, "Sleeping is bad. Sleeping brings nightmares. I don't want to sleep." She was saying more information than I thought we could get out of her, just by her focusing on Rogue.

Rogue added, "Then you don't need to sleep. Just lie there until we are ready to leave, okay? It will help you stay you." Yaseika seemed to consent as she stood up, crossed over to the bed and got under the covers, her eye not once leaving Rogue. She sat straight up and didn't move from there.

Rogue gestured for us to all follow him outside the room and we all shuffled out. Yaseika's eye fell upon each of us, and didn't seem to react this time to seeing Natsu. We all were in the hallway when Natsu finally exploded, "What the hell just happened in there?"

I was surprised beyond belief, still trying to understand what had occurred. I turned and asked Rogue, "How did you do that? She was totally gone and you brought her back."

He looked just as confused as we were and said, "I don't know. I was just following my instincts. You've seen me succumb to my shadows before." I nodded, remembering the incident during the Grand Magic Games, both during the tournament and what had supposedly happened to the Future Rogue. He continued, "I just did what I thought was right. She reminded me of me in that regard. I didn't want her to feel that kind of pain. She just needed to feel understood. Besides, I have a feeling that it wasn't just me that brought her back."

Wendy murmured, "The cutting. The pain may have caused her to focus on herself and regain control." What a horrible thing for a girl her age to watch. She was still trembling but she put on a brave face and said, "Maybe the other half, the Demon of Chaos, Erza was talking about isn't as dormant as before. A year has passed. It may have become more unstable what with Yaseika becoming re-aware of it. But Yaseika's still trying to fight it."

Erza held her chin in her hand as she thought for a bit then she said, "Still, that doesn't explain why Yaseika was after Natsu initially."

Rogue said, "That's true. She appeared to be completely calm when she woke up and I asked her some basic questions to see her mental state. Sting, Lector, and Frosch were all there and can agree to that. But as soon as I mentioned Natsu's name, she went ballistic."

Lucy murmured, "Maybe the other half sees Natsu as a threat."

Gray added, "But she didn't seem to react as violently to Erza. We are just throwing around accusations again just like before. The only person that knows the truth is her. Besides, that doesn't explain how or why she fell from the sky just today." The hallway fell silent as we thought about everything that had happened.

Then Gajeel told Rogue, "I need to talk to you in private Ryos." Rogue flinched at the name but then Gajeel looked at Natsu, "You too Salamander." He glanced at Sting and gestured for him to come along as well. They went off somewhere together. Only we girls remained, looking after them in confusion.

Carla then froze, her eyes widened in fear. Wendy asked her, "What's wrong? Did you get another vision?"

The white Exceed looked nervous and tears began to stream down her face. She murmured, "I can only hope that this one is only one of many possibilities. Because the future I just saw was so horrific," she shuddered.

She looked towards Lucy and said, "Hopefully it won't come true. If it does, it's not going to be good for any of us." Some part of me wanted her to tell us what she saw, but another part of me didn't I didn't want to hear the bad stuff that could be coming. And if we knew what was coming, we would try to change it, and thus possibly create another dire future.

Just then, Rogue came barreling back down the hallway, screaming Yaseika's name. The other dragon slayers were following just behind him. He burst into the room Yaseika was staying in and revealed with a jolt, the bed to be empty, the window open. It could be assumed that Yaseika had jumped out some time before during our conversation. Rogue took a long inhale of air. He swore and jumped out the window after her. The rest of us went around the other way.

Lucy cried out, "I don't get it. What happened?"

Gajeel growled, "We were talking and Rogue suddenly sensed that something was wrong with Yaseika. Now we're here and she's missing."

Erza cried out, "We've got to find her. If she loses control again…" She didn't even need to finish the thought.

Gray spoke coolly, "Rogue is clearly going after her scent. We follow his scent…"

Natsu spoke, "We find Yaseika." We left the building and followed as the dragon slayers tracked Rogue down.

Frosch spoke then, "Is Rogue going to be okay?"

Gajeel looked at the Exceed and for a split second I saw despair in his eyes. I had never seen that emotion on his face and it terrified me. He then looked at me and murmured, "I hope so. I hope so."

 **I haved hinted during this whole story what is happening to Yaseika, but I want to know what you think. Make sure to review so I know what you guys are thinking and feel free to guess the background behind Yaseika. There will be a HUGE revelation chapter coming up very soon.**


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter 27: Return to Magnolia

 **ROGUE POV**

My body has been just reacting on its own ever since Yaseika's come back.

As I was running through the city, following Yaseika's very faint scent, I was thinking about what Gajeel had said to me before.

*flashback*

Gajeel was bringing all of the male dragon slayers away from the girls in order to talk about something. We finally stopped a little ways away and he started, "How much did your dragons talk about mates?"

Everybody shrugged and Natsu was the first to speak, "Not a lot. I was young at the time." Sting and I shook our heads as well. We were only about 4-5 years old when the dragons vanished the first time, so I didn't remember a lot.

Gajeel continued, "As a dragon slayer, you gain some of the qualities of a dragon. Our foster parent dragons made moves in order to prevent us from having the physical and some of the emotional qualities of normal dragons. However, the concept of mates still stands. Short version: your mate is somebody that is chosen for you from the moment you are born. The person that you are meant to fall in love with and protect with your life."

Sting's eyes narrowed and he asked, "Why are you telling us this?"

Gajeel pointed at me, "Because I'm about 95% sure that Yaseika is Ryos' mate."

Silence fell between us before I finally said, "What makes you think that?"

Gajeel continued, "You may not show outward ways of being in love with her, but ever since she's shown up today, you've been trying to protect her. You sensed her before anybody else and made moves to save her. You were the one to bring her out of her darkness without using any kind of violence. Even Natsu, whom she used to have a close connection to in the past, couldn't do anything. Only mates would have the power to do that."

Natsu then asked, "So what the heck does that mean?"

Gajeel answered, "I believe that Rogue is the key to bringing her out of the darkness permanently. While we do not know for sure what she is fighting against, he has the ability to keep her calm and in control."

Then Sting piped up, "But a year ago, they touched briefly, and she snarled and shoved him away."

Gajeel looked deep in thought and then asked me, "Did you feel a calming effect from the contact?" I nodded and he said, "It is possible that she felt the same. She probably knows about mates and the signs. She recognized that you were her mate, and possibly in order to protect you from herself, she forced you away."

Then I remembered, "She did run away shortly after that and didn't respond to us at all."

Gajeel said, "Maybe her darker half was taking over and she fled to somewhere remote so she wouldn't hurt anybody." He added after a few moments, "My point is, if Rogue truly is her mate, then she will do everything in her power to protect him from herself. We must not allow this to happen. We need to be persistent and stay by her, even if she doesn't want it. It will be safer for all of us."

It was then that I felt a horrible feeling in the pit of my stomach and I instinctively cried out, "Yaseika!" My magic began to swirl with barely retained control inside of me and I immediately began to run towards the room she was in.

*end flashback*

Now here I was, chasing after her. I couldn't believe what Gajeel had told me, but his explanation made sense. It would explain my strange connection with her and why I feel drawn to her. I think about her all of the time, and the fact that being her mate might save her makes me feel happy. Does that mean that we are destined to fall in love or something?

I barely understand it, but for right now, I need to find her.

Her trail led to a patch of woods when the trail went cold. I growled and snarled at myself. _Stupid…stupid…I should have been able to find her but now I've lost her._ Then I noticed something written in large letters on the ground. It didn't take me very long to figure out what it said and the others burst into the clearing.

It took one look from me to inform them that I had lost her, but I pointed at the big letters on the ground which spelled out the word "MAGNOLIA".

Levy murmured, "She's going back to Magnolia. But why?"

Wendy timidly said, "She might think that Fairy Tail is still around. Natsu didn't know at first. If she's been lying low for a while then maybe she doesn't know."

Lucy piped up, "Wasn't she getting help from the First Master? Maybe she is trying to go back in order to get help again."

Erza thought aloud, "She could pose a risk to everybody in the city if she somehow loses control again." I hated hearing them talk about her as though she had a disease. I had my darker side, so did everybody else. You didn't hear people talk about them like that. She has a darker half, but she's trying to control it. They didn't need to talk about her like she was some enemy. She was once their ally, and she still is. She has the guild mark still to prove it.

Natsu spoke, "Well what are we waiting for? Let's go back to Magnolia!"

Gajeel took one look at me and Sting and we nodded. We would go too. I wanted to see her, and I knew Sting would come with me. Even though he is the Sabertooth guild master, he and I are a team with our little Exceeds.

It was agreed that Gray and Erza would temporarily hang behind in order to tie up some loose ends from their mission. Juvia would stay with them. Gajeel. Levy and the black Exceed, Lily I think, would go to file a report to the Council and then leave the Enforcement Unit to return to Magnolia. Sting, myself, Natsu, Lucy, Happy, Wendy and Carla would make our way back to the old home of Fairy Tail. To Magnolia.

*Time skip*

We all arrived in Magnolia. The city's done well for itself despite the injuries it received as a result of Tartaros last year. It was clear that they were still rebuilding, but it was beginning to look like a city again.

Lucy had begun tearing up and had actually gotten to the point where she was trembling. She stopped walking and stood frozen in place. Natsu asked, "What's wrong?"

Lucy began to cry, "I can't take another step. I know the guild hall used to be around the corner…but what if nobody answered your call from before? The flames on the palace might not have worked. Even if they did, what if nobody wants to come back." She sniffled, "I mean…everybody left so fast afterwards." The smell of alcohol wafted into my nose and I stiffened. But then a brunette in a bikini top threw her arm around Lucy.

Lucy looked up in shock and yelled, "Cana!"

The brunette slurred slightly, "Yyou tthink that weee are just going to leave guild behind? No way…" She threw back some more beer down her throat and I could hear the sound of others arriving. It was only a few minutes later that many of the members that had been part of Fairy Tail before the disbandment, if not all of them, began to crowd the streets.

There was a long and drawn-out reunion for the rest of the day. Sting and I felt kind of out of place, but we were made to feel very welcome during our time here in Magnolia. Still, in the back of my mind, I couldn't help but worry. Yaseika's absence went unnoticed by most of the guild members, but I could tell I was not the only one on the lookout. Erza's eyes kept on flickering back towards the door whenever somebody entered, and those of us that had found her after the whole Avatar incident were tenser than usual. I could no longer sense Yaseika, but it felt as though she was so close. I was just missing something.


	28. Chapter 28

Chapter 28: The Mysterious Reappearance

 **LUCY POV**

It's been a little while since we've all returned to Magnolia. We are still rebuilding the guild hall, but now with all of us working together, things have been going well. Except for when Natsu and Gray start fighting, bringing all of the other males of the guild into their brawl. Even Rogue joins in when Gajeel starts fighting. I knew that him, Sting, and their Exceeds were just sticking around just to see what happened with Yaseika, but sometimes I forgot that they were even affiliated with another guild. They fit in so well here.

Speaking of Yaseika, it's been about a week, and there hasn't been any sight of her. Everybody's been looking, and at this point, it's might just be possible that she wrote what she did in order to throw us off her trail. However, Rogue seems insistent on waiting. He says that she will return soon. When Natsu asked him why he thought that, the shadow dragon slayer just said it was a gut feeling.

Still, big things are happening now. Mest, or Doranbolt since I don't know what he even goes by now, showed up and revealed that he apparently had been a Fairy Tail member all along. Apparently Master Makarov had him go on an infiltration mission into the Council and in order to do his job the best he could, Mest actually erased his own memories. Master was against it but Mest insisted. Speaking of the Master, Erza was just named the next guild master! Levy needed to put a master's name down in order to reinstate Fairy Tail as an official guild, but Master Makarov has been missing over the past year. Nobody seems to know where he is.

Just after the celebration of Erza's promotion ended, Mest had Erza follow him down some stairs I hadn't noticed before. With a single look, Natsu, Gray, Wendy, Happy, Sting, Rogue and I went after them. After following them, they opened a large door that revealed a giant crystal, a lacrima I think, shining with brilliant light. But what was shocking was that the First Master Mavis was encased inside! She was stark naked, and her eyes were closed. She didn't appear to be alive.

In our shock, we accidentally revealed ourselves. Mest looked annoyed, especially at the appearance of Sting and Rogue but then shrugged. He explained that the crystal before us was Fairy Tail's greatest secret: Lumen Histoire. He didn't know the exact details behind it, but it must be important, as only current and previous guild masters knew about it. At that he turned to the Twin Dragons of Sabertooth and said, "Not a word of this conversation leaves the guild hall. Master Makarov will have my head if he finds out about this."

They nodded and he continued, "As you know, I was sent by Makarov in order to infiltrate the Council. The reason behind this mission was in order to find information about a country west of here called Alvarez. It's an incredibly powerful nation that tried to invade Fiore about ten years ago. According to Makarov, the attack failed due to the Council and their weapons: Etherion and Face." Everybody tensed at hearing those names. It brought up bad memories.

Mest spoke some more, "With the destruction of the Council and those weapons a year ago, Fiore was and still is at risk of being attacked by the Alvarez Empire. Makarov realized this and decided to travel to the west in order to meet with its Emperor. He wanted to show that should they choose to attack, he would activate Lumen Histoire. I do not have any clue what this "Fairy Heart" can do, but if he was willing to use it to stop the enemy of the west, it must be incredibly powerful. His goal was to at the very least buy some time for us here in the East. He decided to also disband the guild in order to protect you guys. In case things went bad."

 **ROGUE POV**

Hearing all the stuff that old man did, as well as the threat that was looming in the future caused me to instantly think about Yaseika. Was she somehow involved in this?

Natsu then screeched, "So he went over to this other country and it's been a year and he hasn't come back yet!?"

Mest lowered his head, "I have not heard from him over the past year. I can only assume that because we have not yet been attacked, Makarov has succeeded in his mission. However, the fact that he has yet to return is troubling."

Lucy murmured, "I don't like the sound of this. What could have happened to him?"

Mest shrugged, "He could have been delayed, captured. He could even be…"

Natsu shouted, "Don't say it man!" Mest hung his head down as the salmon-haired dragon slayer continued, "No matter what's happened to him, we got to go get him."

Mest and the others all yelled in agreement. Sting spoke, "Even though we aren't officially a part of this guild, we'll help in any way we can."

Erza said, "As guild master, I do not agree with this plan." The entire room fell so silent that you could hear the thumps of building from upstairs. She continued, "We should be focusing on rebuilding first. However," a dark look entered her eye, "As a guild member, I believe that we must do what we can in order to find the master. As well as Yaseika. Therefore, in order to not create a panic, only those in this room will go on this mission."

Just then, the sounds upstairs turned from those of building to the sound of shouting and people running around. It was then that I sensed her. I sensed Yaseika yet again. We all sprinted back up to the surface, only to find that everybody else had gathered in a group around something. Erza and the rest of us pushed through to find at the center of the circle, something that we were not expecting.

It was a black-cloaked figure, her weapons stained with the dull color of dried blood. She was breathing heavily and her head raised up at our presence for her single eye to seemingly pierce each of us. None of us felt as though we could move and slowly, Yaseika moved some of her cloak in order to reveal a tiny elderly figure in her arms. He was unconscious, but definitely still alive.

Somebody in the crowd gasped, "Master Makarov!" Yes. It was the old master of Fairy Tail, held in the woman's arms that we had been searching for. The mission that we had created for ourselves had been instantly completed, by Yaseika herself.

She spoke quietly, but I could tell that everybody heard her, "He is okay. He needs about 3 hours more of rest. Then he will return to his original state." She laid him down on the ground and instantly Wendy was at his side, magic flowing to her fingertips. Yaseika looked at her with an emotion in her eyes I had not expected: envy. She flinched but then she said, "Sky Dragon, Child of Grandeeney, I place him in your care. I take my leave. I shall return tomorrow morning." With that, Yaseika rose to her feet and began to walk away.

Then, the emotional globe that had been building up finally broke. Natsu went after Yaseika, screaming her name. She didn't even turn around or acknowledge him. Instead, she continued to walk away. Gajeel put a hand on Natsu's shoulder and said, "I want to go after her too, but she herself said that she'll be back in the morning. Besides," he gestured to Makarov, "We have the old man to worry about. If he thinks we should go after her, then we should." So, Yaseika was allowed to go free. I wanted to chase after her myself, but instead I looked at Sting and silently asked him if I should go. He was my guild master after all. He shook his head and pointed his head to Makarov. He appeared to agree with Gajeel. Thus, I decided to leave her be for now. Besides, she promised she would be back.

*3 hours later*

"Master's awake!" Wendy cried out. He was sitting upright in his bed, clearly still weary, but his eyes had an intense look in them.

He looked troubled, but he cleared his throat and began to speak, "I will first begin by sincerely apologizing to all of you. I truly believed that by disbanding Fairy Tail, you would all be kept safe, but it appears that I have done little."

Lucy cried out, "That's not true! You've kept the enemy away for a year. We've all gotten stronger."

Makarov grumbled and said, "Yes, I believe that Lucy. However, this is not some enemy that we can just defeat. I have discovered through the negotiations that The Emperor of Alvarez is not a mere mage. He is the immortal Black Wizard Zeref!"

A chill entered the room at the mention of the name. Happy began to tremble, "You mean, you went to talk to him? He was the guy that you were trying to convince to not attack?"

Makarov nodded and he looked towards me and Sting, as though he was hesitant to say something, but then Mest jumped in saying, "I'm sorry Master. But they know. Everyone in here knows."

Makarov sighed but didn't press it. He continued, "I told him that there was one final weapon that I could use against him, should he choose to attack the East. However, he beat me to the punch, saying that the reason why he wishes to attack us is in order to obtain that very weapon: Lumen Histoire."

Everybody gasped at that. How did he know about that already? It was supposed to be a guild secret. He hesitated and said, "Before I continue, where is Yaseika Dragneel?"

The room fell silent and Erza answered, "She brought you here. Then she disappeared somewhere in Magnolia. She said she'll be back tomorrow morning."

He shook his head and said, "We must find her immediately. As I was reaching the end of the conversation with Zeref, just yesterday I believe, she walked through the door. She noticed me and the Black Wizard talking, and didn't say anything. Instead, she only spoke to him, saying things in a way that I didn't understand. It seemed as though this wasn't the first time that they had talked. Instead, I got a sense that they had talked about something very serious just a little while before. All I got was that she planned to bring me back to Magnolia, something about me being needed back here. A bunch of soldiers came in, including those of the elite Spriggan 12. The last thing I remember is somebody knocking me hard over the head, knocking me out." He spoke, "She must have somehow rescued me and brought me back to Magnolia. We must find her. If she managed to get both her and myself out with only minimal damage, then she is hiding something under her 'weaker' façade. We must find her and demand the truth!"

That was enough for me, "But Makarov, she doesn't pose a threat to us! She herself said that she does not wish to hurt us."

His eyes hardened and he finished with, "Zeref plans to declare war here on Fiore in order to get the Fairy Heart. He has asked for Yaseika's help and claims that whether she willingly does or not, she will fall into a darkness that will be impossible to be freed from. He said that when that happens, she will join forces with him in order to cause one-sided annihilation. The end of humanity itself."

 _Oh no…_ I knew that she had this darkness inside of her, but now with what the old man just said, she was at risk of being targeted by Zeref. She was losing herself in her mind, and if she completely fell, then she would inadvertently cause the end of the world. I saw the pain in her expression. She doesn't want this. Inside, she is still the person that Natsu claimed to know from all of those years ago. I somehow helped to bring her out of that pain. I had to find her. I had to save her from herself.

Erza stood up and cried out, "Everybody, scatter throughout the city. Find Yaseika and bring her back here. Levy, Freed," she addressed the two, "Start creating a barrier. She clearly does not wish to be here at this time, but we need answers and it is for her own protection. We will put her in there once she has been captured. We only have a few hours until nightfall. Then it will nearly be impossible to find her. All dragon slayers," she addressed us in particular, "I know that she attempts to hide her scent trail, but we are counting on you to track her down." We nodded firmly and the chase began. We needed to find her. Fast.

 **YASEIKA POV**

Just by being near them again, I could feel it. The urges. The human feelings that made me so weak and helpless. It gives me pain. I can't stay by them.

He who has the power to end my life. He was there. He who both can damn me and save me. He has this new power radiating from him. He has chosen it. That kind of magic is both familiar and foreign. It caused me to lose control at first. Now I am becoming accustomed to the feeling of pain washing over my body whenever I am near him. I wonder how he will choose. Will brother unknowingly kill the sister? Or will he become stained by the darkness and kill all of those around him?

Or will the one chosen by fate for the cursed one attempt to save her, even though it is all for naught?

Or will the original true dragon slayer end all? Maybe the evil mage will get to it first.

There is one way of knowing. I can sense what is coming. I only hope that I am prepared for when that day arrives.


	29. Chapter 29

Chapter 29: The Unbelievable Truth

 **ROGUE POV**

We scattered across the city, working in teams. I was teamed up with the Strauss siblings and Cana. Sting was placed as the head of another team as he was a dragon slayer that could smell out Yaseika. About an hour has passed and there hasn't been a single whiff of her. I sensed her presence from time-to-time, but as soon as I had, it vanished. It was as though she recognized that I was tracking her and she was taking steps to hide herself.

The sun was falling lower in the sky and it was about 2 hours until nightfall when I sensed her yet again. It was strong and it felt as though she was right next to me. I looked up and managed to cry out in warning just before a person landed on the ground. When they stood, I could see her bright purple eye regarding me with distaste as she asked me, "Why do you follow me, Shadow Dragon, son of Skiadrum?"

I didn't think when I replied, "I told you, my name is Rogue."

She ignored me and continued, "Not only you, but many of the dragon children?"

My heart jumped at her sudden question, and I turned to look at the others who had come with me, but they had vanished. I could still smell them, but it seemed as they were farther away now. It was possible that they were now building some kind of trap for her. I calmly managed to answer, "I have questions for you."

She shrugged, "Everybody does. They just don't want to ask them."

Confusion hit me. "Why?" I pressed.

She flinched and said, "They are afraid of what the answer is going to be."

I continued, "I'm not."

Her eye looked up and down my body, saying, "You are afraid. But you are willing to take on that fear in order to find me. Why?"

I hadn't yet come up with a suitable answer when I heard a cry erupt from around us. Starting to just in front of me, a bright golden barrier was formed, and three beings leapt from the trees. By scent, it was easy to identify them as the Strauss siblings. Yaseika didn't flinch at their appearance and instead asked, "They, on the other hand, are afraid. Afraid of who I am, who I could be." She had reached for her bracelet, rubbing it furiously when another cry erupted from the forest. The golden barrier shone brightly and began to crackle with lightning. A flash and crack of lightning later, the Strauss siblings remained unharmed, while Yaseika was lying face-first down on the ground.

I cried out and rushed over to her. I picked her up and turned her to face me. She barely looked even remotely injured, but she was unconscious. This time, she didn't seem to be convulsing, but her expression didn't look any less pained.

I could hear the youngest sibling, Lisanna I believe, walk away in order to contact the guild. I picked Yaseika up in my arms, instinctively bringing her closer to my chest. Cana appeared out of nowhere and I yelled at her, "What are you thinking? Using your cards like that? You electrocuted her!"

Cana shriveled slightly at the tone of my voice but she shot back, "She was about to fight us. The others told me about her bracelet that turns into a bow. If she had been allowed to continue, she would have attacked us. I had to do something in order to get her back to the guild hall." Something in the back of my mind told me that that wasn't what Yaseika was doing. She hadn't appeared to be taking off her bracelet, only rubbing it.

Bringing Yaseika's prone body more tightly to my chest, we began the trip back to the Fairy Tail guild hall.

*Time skip*

It hasn't been very long, but since we got back, Yaseika has been laid out on a bed inside of the barrier that the other wizards have constructed. Her weapons have been taken from her in order to prevent her from hurting herself again. She hasn't woken up, but there have been times that it appeared that she was fighting against something again. I barely let my eyes close to even blink. I didn't like seeing her like this. Caged up in this way. Even when she isn't doing anything wrong.

About a half-hour before sunset, she gasped awake and sat upright in bed. Her eye blinked a few times before going wide. She jumped out of the bed and ran towards me, running directly into the barrier. She was disoriented for a moment and she touched the barrier tenderly, watching the symbols form in front of her face. Her expression turned panicked.

She was so close, and yet so far. She began to pound on the barrier, and with a slight trace of fear in her voice, she spoke, "Let me out."

Erza had somehow come to my side without me noticing and she said, "No. We are keeping you here for your protection. We know you have a very free spirit, but because we don't know enough about you, and yet Zeref does, we cannot allow you to go free."

Yaseika's chin trembled and her voice raised in volume, "Let me out of here. NOW. I don't like this."

I could hear Natsu murmur to somebody that it was against a dragon's, as well as a dragon slayers, nature to be trapped within a cage. This was probably her worst nightmare after being free for so long.

Erza continued, "You are also a threat to both yourself and the people of Magnolia and the world. You will be kept here for now. Nothing will change mine or the Master's mind. The master has ordered you to remain here. As a member of this guild, you must do as he says."

Yaseika's hand began to run through her hair. Her body language was becoming tenser by the second and she began to tremble. She punched the floor, only to find more symbols on it. She leapt up towards the ceiling to find the same situation. She was truly trapped.

Her gaze fell to the floor and I could not see her expression as she said, "You don't understand. I _have_ to go. Before…" She fell silent.

Lucy prompted her, "Before what?"

Yaseika didn't answer that question. Instead she said, "Please, Titania, I am begging you. LET ME OUT!" Her eye briefly flashed from purple to blood red. I started a little at this. Based on the reactions of the others, I was not the only person to have noticed this. Then, her eye went back to being purple. My heart began to hurt in my chest. Seeing her on the verge of panic was unsettling and I was beginning to want to listen to her. The hair on the back of my neck began to rise, just as the natural light of the sun began to disappear. Something was about to happen. I didn't like the way this felt.

I began to speak, "Hey…maybe we should listen to her."

Laxus rounded up on me, "Look, you aren't a part of this guild. You aren't involved in this. Stay out of it." I wanted to tell him I was her mate and because of that it was my business, but I could feel Gajeel's eyes on me. I turned to him to see him shake his head. He didn't want me to say anything about the mate thing. He did say after all that he wasn't 100% sure.

She began to breathe heavily as she continuously was looking towards the window. She screeched, "If you must keep me here, then knock me out. PLEASE!" A chill travelled down my spine at the sound of her desperation.

The sun disappeared behind some mountains as we all just stood there silently. Then, we all turned towards Yaseika's 'prison' as she began to yell and groan. Yaseika's voice amplified in volume and she nearly screamed, "NO! PLEASE! NOT HERE! NOT NOW! I DON'T WANT THIS!" She gagged and was holding her head in her hands. She began to scream incoherently, causing me to cover my ears.

A faint red aura began to surround Yaseika and her appearance began to shimmer. In awe, shock, and fear, we all in the guild hall watched as Yaseika in her cage began to change. She fell forward onto her hands and knees. Her hands and feet began to expand in size, her nails lengthening. She arched her back, head facing the sky and I could see for a second, her canines that are slightly pointed, a usual attribute of dragon slayers, beginning to grow. All of her teeth sharpened as her screams turned into snarls and growls. Her visible eye began to dilate even further, becoming reptilian in nature.

Her clothes faded away into nothing, but then began to grow and red scales appeared all over her skin. She grew until her head nearly touched the top of the guildhall ceiling. The creature opened its eyes to show a familiar purple right eye looking down towards me and a scarred but burning yellow eye that regarded me with contempt. The red aura vanished, but remaining where Yaseika had once been screaming was an enormous red dragon. It wasn't as large as our parent dragons, but it towered over all of us easily. When the light hit the scales just right, a faint shimmer of blue was visible. With a pang, I recognized this dragon.

Natsu must have as well because he gasped, "You're…! You're the dragon that was helping Igneel fight Acnologia during the battle against Tartaros!" Yes, it was. So that meant, "Yaseika…! That was you? You're a freaking dragon?!"

 **Here's one of the many plot-twists that are to come. I hope you enjoyed! This may be my last installment for a little while, but my goal is to have this story completed by September of 2016. There's still a lot to come!**


	30. Chapter 30

Chapter 30: Beginning of the Real Truth

 **LUCY POV**

Holy crap. Natsu's foster sister can turn into a dragon. She is a freaking dragon. The girl who rarely talked. The one who had threatened us a year ago. I could barely even speak, I was in so much shock.

The dragon in the containment field, that we assumed was Yaseika anyways, regarded us with contempt that painfully reminded me of Aquarius. I brought my hand up to the broken key part that was hanging around my neck. The cool metal didn't react at all, but it still gave me comfort.

I heard Master Makarov speak first, "Yaseika? Is that you?"

The dragon scoffed and replied, "That stupid stubborn human half? I guess you could say that I am. But I'm not." The voice was definitely Yaseika's, but it seemed darker and was amplified several times over. She frowned angrily at all of us in the room and said, "I'm her _true_ half." The dragon cackled. She reached out with a single claw and gently tapped the barrier. It shattered immediately and I could feel the blood drain from my face. The dragon let a wild smile cross her face.

It was as though a bomb had gone off inside the guild. Everybody began to scramble around in a wild panic. Levy and Freed began attempting to restore the magical barrier, but it was clear that they were struggling. Nearly everybody else was preparing for battle or hiding behind anything to protect them.

The dragon let out a single mirthless laugh and said, "Pitiful humans. You are all too predictable. Immediately beginning to prepare for violence." Her gaze fell down to Rogue, who hadn't moved a muscle since she had transformed, instead looking up at her with determined eyes. The dragon said, "You are slightly different, but even now I sense your fear towards me. You do not desire to fight me, you simply wish to understand."

Then Rogue spoke, "This is the darkness that we have heard about?"

Yaseika's multi-colored eyes narrowed and she growled, "Is that what you humans have chosen to call me now? I wouldn't call myself 'darkness'. I am her other half, one that none of you other dragon slayers can achieve."

Natsu shouted, "What the heck are you talking about?" Yaseika seemed to notice him for the first time and her eyes dilated further and she frowned in his direction, her hand curling into a fist that caught ablaze. He backed up and she rose herself higher on her hind legs. She lowered herself back down, but instead now having a threatening smile on her face.

She chuckled and said, "I suppose I should be thanking you Son of Igneel. After all, it is because of you that I exist." Natsu looked utterly confused, as did the rest of us. What did she mean by that? She looked at us and scoffed, "Really, after all of this time, none of you know about the consequences of becoming a dragon slayer?"

Gajeel then spoke, "We know that when you study dragon slayer magic with a dragon, a result is that the dragon slayer becomes a dragon themselves." As he spoke, Levy gasped, putting a hand over her mouth.

Yaseika smirked at the petite bluenette, "It appears that one of you actually has minimal intelligence around here and has figured it all out."

Levy cried out, "Of course! The dragons entered their children's bodies in order to prevent them from becoming dragons. But think about it," she held up two fingers, "Igneel raised two dragon slayers. Two children, but only one dragon. He clearly entered Natsu in order to create the antibodies, but Yaseika was left without any kind of protection. She must have transformed into a dragon from using her magic!"

Yaseika smirked and said, "Good girl. Smart one she is." This revelation hit my brain like a truck. It was so obvious. It could explain why Yaseika had attacked him last week. Maybe she blamed him for becoming this wild magical creature. Yaseika continued, "Too bad I'm going to have to kill all of you." Her casual admittance to this caused me a slight panic but she continued, "However, because of _her_ , I am unable to in my current state. She won't give up. And while I admire that, it's becoming an annoyance. Even after a year of being in control, she won't let me be free."

I finally managed to find my voice and said, "You mean Yaseika?"

The dragon's gaze turned to me and flinched almost instantly. I was startled by this, but the dragon sneered, "It is because of my weaker human half that I am currently in this state. She won't give in to me, despite me providing the thing she desired most. We don't like humans. I'm surprised she's put up with being around them for so long. They are weak and cruel to us." She began speaking as though she was multiple personalities at once. There were moments that she spoke with pronouns such as 'we' and 'us'. Did that mean Yaseika agreed with the dragon half? The dragon finished, "After being so pitifully defeated by our enemy one year ago, she relinquished temporary control over to me. She was there obviously, conflicting with me at every possible moment. But we wanted to train. To be stronger in this form. By the way, son of Igneel," Natsu jumped.

Yaseika spoke to him, "I know that you swore to defeat Acnologia on the deathbed of Igneel." Hearing her speak of her foster father's passing with so little care was disheartening, "But I swore to kill him myself. He is mine. I have faced him twice only to twice fail. It will not happen again." He didn't even respond, but he slightly nodded slowly. It's kind of difficult to argue with a dragon. The tone of her voice was reminiscent of Erza's, who hadn't spoken this entire time. She simply stood there, regarding Yaseika with a suspicious expression.

Gajeel then barked, "Why didn't you say anything?"

The dragon rolled her eyes and she said, "I wanted to. I wanted to proclaim my power over everything. It's that stupid human that won't allow me to get my way. Still," the dragon shrugged, "It won't be long now. Soon, she will cease to exist. I will claim what I was once promised."

Rogue spoke up again, "What do you mean?"

Her eyes moved back to him and for a moment, I thought they shimmered slightly with a non-malicious emotion. She said, "Igneel swore to me, years ago before in her 'pure' human state, that becoming the next Fire Dragon Queen is our birthright. He promised the land that he once lived on to me. Because of this damn human, I have been prevented from claiming it. But her human soul has been contaminated by negative emotions and thoughts. She is on the verge of breaking." She smiled viciously, causing chills to travel down my spine.

Natsu cried out, "Why would you want that? She's a part of you!'

The red and blue dragon snarled, "An unwanted part. She prevents me from claiming my birthright and her true power. In this form, I am not at my full strength. Her humanity prevent me from having it."

Erza then said calmly, "You speak as though Yaseika is still inside of you, watching and monitoring everything that is being said." The dragon regarded her with a curious eye and the redhead continued, "I would like to speak to her directly. Human to human."

The dragon replied, "No can do. This is my time. I intend to take advantage of it by truly seeing those that have become her new allies." A large claw slammed to the ground, causing it to tremble.

Erza didn't even flinch at this movement and said, "I must speak to her in order to get answers and a full story about what happened in the past. Unless you want to tell me the full story."

Yaseika seemed to think about this for a moment before finally saying, "This is my time. I don't like talking to humans, but it is interesting to watch them squirm. Them wondering, 'Is the dragon going to attack us?'" The dragon chuckled and she said, "She wants to personally tell you the story. Not through me. I actually agree with her for once. Just wait until dawn." With that, she reached her neck higher and froze in place. Her purple and yellow eyes remained staring forward, and she didn't seem to give any inclination that she was going to say any more.

Makarov shouted, "If you can't tell us the full story, then tell us about what you can." Yaseika ignored him and remained staring forward. The only indication that she heard him was a single flap of her wings. The air generated by the movement caused nearly everybody to go flying into a wall. It was clear that she was done talking to us.

Thus the rest of the night was spent in whispers, everybody asking questions and trying to get what exactly was happening. Most of the members looked in fear towards Yaseika, especially when she took in an especially loud breath, smoke curling outward. Instead, while she wasn't moving, in her eyes, I could see that she looked amused at our discomfort.

Hours passed in an awkward silence. Nobody seemed to know what to do in the meantime, so many people just fell asleep at the guild tables. Yaseika had said to wait until dawn. Something was bound to happen, so we had to wait. Yaseika, on the other hand, remained rigidly awake and didn't even fall asleep for a moment.

I had fallen asleep at some point myself, but when I had, I saw that the dragon slayers, even little Wendy were standing guard, keeping a watchful eye on Yaseika. Rogue in particular seemed alert, but his eyes conveyed sadness and pity, all directed towards Yaseika. She had seemed to treat him differently from the rest of us, even in this monstrous powerful form. The same had happened when she had gone temporarily feral before. Was there something there that the rest of us weren't seeing?

I was shaken awake some time later, by Erza, motioning for me to get up and gestured towards Yaseika, who hadn't moved, except for watching her eyes gleam from time to time and her torso rising and falling with the rhythm of her breathing.

Then, just as sleep had finally cleared itself from my eyes, her eyes shifted. She was now looking out the opposite window, just as the sky began to lighten on that side. The sun had begun to peek over the vista from the east when Yaseika's form began to shimmer.

A cloud of red magical dust had formed itself around her, swirling with power. Her form began to shrink, the scales fading away into tan skin. The curved horns that had formed on the top of her skull began to shrink back down into nothing. The yellow eye faded away behind the black eyepatch that faded in out of nowhere. The purple pupil expanded back into what was considered normal for dragon slayers. The dust eventually cleared away and standing right where the dragon had been was Yaseika, her expression looking emotionless yet again. Yet there was something else almost unreadable in her expression, shame?

First Master Mavis, who had apparently been quietly watching the whole thing was the first to speak to her, saying, "The time has come for you to tell the whole truth. Not another fabricated lie. You shouldn't hide yourself anymore. We can help you." Silence fell for a moment in the guild hall.

Her eye was looking down at the ground and she finally murmured, "I shall tell you what I can" She straightened up and sat down on a stool. Everybody's eyes were on her alone. She said, "In order to understand what you witnessed, then you need to understand the original me. I must go back to when it all began, back when I first was found by Igneel, around the year X754."

 **Sorry it's been forever since I last updated. I wanted to make sure that this chapter was as good as it could be. Hope you enjoyed. The next few ch** **apters** **shall purely be Yaseika telling her full story.**


	31. Chapter 31

**This ch** **apter and the next one will be one gigantic flashback.**

Chapter 31: Year X754 – Year X771

 **YASEIKA POV**

I don't remember the exact day when Igneel found me.

All I do remember is that I was wandering in the woods, all alone. I was very young at the time. I had no family, no friends. He came across me and took me in to raise as a dragon slayer. It wouldn't be until many years later that I was told the reason about becoming a dragon slayer, in order to help defeat Acnologia. But that isn't important yet.

He began to teach me fire dragon slayer magic. The rate at which I was so easily able to pick it up and wield it as my own surprised and pleased him immensely. I hadn't had a name by then, so he chose to call me Yaseika or "wild fire". I was happy with him. I grew up to be a teenager very happy with our little partnership. Igneel and I made for a good group and family. He started letting me go out on my own in the forest/cave area we called our own. There were times when he would leave, sometimes just at night, sometimes I wouldn't see him for a few days. He always told me when he would be leaving though. I knew that he was meeting with the other dragons. I met with them a few times. Grandeeney, Metalicana, Skiadrum, and Weisslogia primarily. They didn't initially take well to the fact that Igneel had 'adopted' a human girl, but they got over it pretty quickly. They enjoyed my spirit and my company. After a while actually, I got to meet another human that had been adopted by one of the dragons, Metalicana. Gajeel. I didn't see him much back then, but he and I got along relatively well. He always had a dark look in his eyes though. He was so young. Too young for such darkness.

But all of us together was great. When I was about fourteen, I found Striker in the forest. He was hurt really badly and on the verge of death. I brought him back to Igneel where Grandeeney, the Sky Dragon, happened to be visiting. She healed the wolf for me, and he became inseparable from me. We were perfect partners for each other, and he was my first friend. While I was friendly with the dragons, they were more like family. Striker and I were best friends.

Then one day, I was a little older then, Igneel brought me aside and had me make a verbal and magical contract with him. It named me as his official successor as he was the 'King of Fire Dragons'. Everything he possessed and all of his missions, protecting the land, visiting the dragons, etc. became my responsibility as well. We would do them together from that moment forward. He would pass them on officially to me when he could no longer do them himself. It was then that he also explained to me the after-effects of using dragon slayer magic. I initially panicked, but Igneel promised that he would protect me by entering my body through a secret art and create antibodies against the transformation.

Then, not too long after that, Igneel left our home one day and returned home with a little Natsu.

At first I was confused. I had asked him a long time ago if he would take in another child to train. Igneel said no. So to see him with another child was a bit disorienting. But I immediately was taken by Natsu's innocence and his charm. It was then that Igneel asked me to help him train Natsu and to always protect him. Because he was so small, he didn't know anything about the dangers in the world yet. I needed to keep him from them until he was ready.

So the family of three turned into a family of four. We were all so happy then. Igneel trained both of us. It was easy to see that Natsu struggled with dragon slayer magic, but he seemed in tune with fire magic in general. So I helped him learn what he couldn't figure out. I had promised to. We swore to protect one another.

Then, everything changed.

Igneel stopped teaching me new magic. He stopped asking me to use my magic that often. When I did use my magic, Igneel scolded me. Not for my technique, but just because he wanted me to stop. He took over training Natsu. I was left behind, not allowed to train or learn anything. I wanted to become as powerful as possible in order to make him proud to call me his dragon slayer child. But he instead focused all of his efforts on training Natsu instead of me. I approached him about this later, and it was then that he told me that the plan to enter my body through the secret art had changed. He was instead planning on using that technique on Natsu instead. He gave me an ultimatum: never use dragon slayer magic again and remain here with him and Natsu, or he will forced to make me leave or possibly kill me. He didn't want me to turn into another Acnologia after all.

Of course, I was very much against this. I was trying to understand why he had changed his mind so suddenly. He had promised me about his choice but he said something had come up to make him change his mind. He did not tell me what that reason was. We began arguing a lot, me trying to convince him that I was the better host for Igneel, that Natsu was just a little boy. I was more at risk of transforming soon anyways. But he wouldn't hear anything of it.

I retreated back into this little library that Igneel had. There, all dragon slayer magic spells were listed. If he wouldn't teach me any more magic, then I would teach myself. It was there that I first encountered the Dragon Slayer Forbidden Art. The amount of power behind it was daunting and alluring at the same time. I began to teach myself the spell in secret.

Then Igneel found me studying the spell. He became furious and tried to get me to promise to never learn the spell or use it. I could feel our contract binding our souls pull at me, but I didn't end up promising to anything. He couldn't keep his promise, so why should I owe him anything? He was basically telling me to give up everything that made me me, otherwise he would hunt me down. But I had learned what I needed to. All that was left was to study what I had memorized of the Forbidden Art.

I was so angry at Igneel. Then I got scared. All of this time that he saw me with pride, it all vanished as soon as Natsu showed up. He was preferred over me. I was being tossed aside as though I was nothing. Harsher and darker thoughts began to consume me. I tried to hide this side of me from everybody else, but I could tell that the other dragons could see through me. They tried talking to me but I ignored them. I stopped going to see them. Natsu was the only one who didn't seem to see how I had changed. But I couldn't help my anger and my jealousy from growing. It was initially just directed at Igneel, but it slowly shifted to include Natsu in the mix.

It was because of this little boy arriving that I was being told to give up who I am or be killed. It was all his fault. Some darker part of me wanted him to die, in order for me to regain what was rightfully mine. I tried, in all honesty. But I couldn't. The boy was innocent, joyfully telling me every day how much he loved being my little brother. This only made me angrier and I began to wonder why this was all so unfair.

Then I made a decision. If Igneel wouldn't see me as who I really was, I would make him. I would destroy his greatest enemies in combat: the Black Wizard and the Black Dragon.

Igneel brought them up every once in a while, as demons are a dragons natural enemy and the black dragon posed a threat to everybody. That was among the missions that Igneel had had me promise to years ago. I convinced myself that if I could kill them, Igneel would have to change his mind.

Boy, how wrong I was.

In the year X771, Igneel left on his own one night to see the dragons, leaving Natsu in my and Striker's care. I drugged Natsu, guaranteeing that he wouldn't follow me into the conflict that was to follow. I knew him too well. He would certainly try even though he could barely produce a Fire Dragon's Roar. Once he was out, Striker and I left the cave that we called our home.

We had travelled pretty far away when I encountered Zeref. We exchanged words and fought. Because of the chaos the fighting brought, Acnologia was brought into the mix. He appeared as a human at first, only to transform into a dragon sometime during our fight. I hadn't known that he still had access to his human half, but apparently he could control the transformation at will. I still don't know why he could control his transformation but I can't, so don't ask. Zeref faded away somewhere, but I could still sense his presence. He was simply observing the fight between two dragon slayers. One who had embraced his dragon half and one who was at risk of becoming one.

We fought long and hard. I was running out of magic power. In a moment of weakness, he slashed away my eye. The pain was nearly unbearable, but I somehow found a way to stand up. There was only one way to kill him, and Zeref as they were both in range. I used the Dragon Slayer Forbidden Art. I had believed that through using this spell, I would die, but so would my enemies. But something happened that I hadn't expected.

The amount of magical power released by the spell triggered my transformation into a dragon. The book that I had read made no mention of this kind of side-effect. Because of the pain and shock of me transforming, I was unable to complete the spell. They were both able to escape and I blacked out. When I came to sometime later, Igneel was standing before me, disappointment covering his features. It was then that I saw myself as a dragon for the first time. The power inside of me was too great and it was overwhelming me. It felt as though I was burning for the first time. I begged Igneel to help me. Instead, he simply turned away from me and forbade me from ever returning back to the place I called home.

I could barely move as he turned and flew away back towards where I had left Natsu. The feeling of the contract inside of me seemed to finalize and that was it. Morning came and I felt myself transform back down into the size of a human. The dragon inside of me was still raging, but I somehow managed to keep it down. But I wasn't human, not really. I looked at myself to see that my skin was red, fingernails curved. I could feel horns still protruding from my skull and I felt my sharp fangs scrape against my skin. Fire swirled around me and I sensed that I was burning and destroying everything around me.

In my attempt to regain pride and acceptance from Igneel, I was exiled, forbidden from ever seeing the people I considered my family ever again. I suppose that the Forbidden Art did succeed in killing me. Yaseika Dragneel, daughter of Igneel, died that night. Yaseika, a full-fledged dragon slayer, a freak of nature, the Demon of Chaos, was born.


	32. Chapter 32

Chapter 32: Year X771 – X791

 **LUCY POV**

Yaseika's words were spoken with little emotion, but it didn't make the impact any smaller. For the first time, I felt pity and sorrow for the female fire dragon slayer. She had been through a huge amount of trouble and trauma, yet she was standing here before us, without a single emotion upon her face. Her will and strength was immeasurable. Controlling herself even now must take a huge amount of power. I was also discovering that some of my suspicions were correct. Yaseika subconsciously did harbor negative feelings for Natsu, as a result of Igneel. But I almost couldn't believe it. Based on what Natsu had told us of Igneel, I never would have imagined his foster father doing such things. I thought Igneel was kind. He wouldn't force Yaseika into such an impossible choice.

Gajeel spoke first, disbelief lacing his tone, "I don't have any memory of ever meeting you. I still have a good recollection of memories when I was young. You ain't there."

Yaseika replied, without breaking, "Human memories are very easy to manipulate. When you showed no recognition of me, I guessed that Metalicana had altered your memory in order for me to not have existed. Less pain that way, and less likely for you to follow the same path as me."

I remembered Sting and Rogue's parent dragons saying something very similar a year ago. I wanted to ask a question myself but Yaseika was not done speaking, "I wandered for some time. During the daytime, I would walk with the human-demon appearance. That form is what I call Second Dragon Force." _Dragon Force?_ Most of the other dragon slayers had accessed Dragon Force before, but I had never heard of anything like a second one. Yaseika continued, "It is more powerful than a normal Dragon Force, giving the slayer even more strength and attributes of a dragon. It only occurs when shifting between human and dragon. However, I could not return to my usual human form, so I was trapped within the powerful Second Dragon Force form during the day. At night, the dragon inside of me would take over. During the day, I looked like a demon. At night, a monstrous dragon. I wasn't…I'm not human anymore. We fought against each other, each wanting to be in control."

I was following every word of her story carefully. I was confused though. She said that she could not maintain a human form, but clearly she no longer looked like a demon. Did something else happen?

She continued, "The power within me was unable to be tamed. That was when the killing started." Her hair fell farther in front of her face. It was clear she didn't want to say this next part, but it must be important. She said, "I was losing control of myself from the beginning, and when I killed for the first time, it only got worse from there. I tried to stay away from people as much as possible, but accidents happened. That was when I was given the name "Demon of Chaos". I wasn't really a demon, but because of my appearance, who would believe me if I said I wasn't?" I heard a slight gasp and turned to see Mira, her hands covering her mouth, her eyes wide open in grief. _That's right… she went through something similar when she got her Satan Soul Takeover. She was turned away by everybody except for Fairy Tail…_

Yaseika continued, "I would bring death to those around me without any sort of control or bias. I remember all of them though. All of the lives I took myself." She rubbed her bracelet, the one received from Igneel. The movement did not go unnoticed. I was confused. Why does she rub that like a lifeline? She harbors hate for Igneel, so why rub something that was a gift from him?

Macao stammered, "Wait. I remember. It was many years ago but there was a job that came in about defeating a magical demon creature that was rampaging and destroying everything in its path. That was you?"

Yaseika nodded, "I didn't want to kill people, but the more I wanted to be normal, to try and maybe protect those from myself, the more people I ended up killing. I became a second version of the Black Dragon." She clenched her fists and looked ready to pounce on somebody. I saw Erza tense, but then Yaseika calmed. She continued, "Still, I went around, looking for anybody to help me. But because of how I looked and how dangerous I seemed, nobody wanted me around them. They turned me away. They hurt us. They didn't see that we needed help." Her eye flickered unnaturally and she continued, "I think that's the main reason why the dragon is so violent and sadistic in a way. This continued for a long time, some years passed. Then I came across Faunta."

She sighed, "I wasn't going to go in. I had been tortured enough by humans that I didn't want to associate with them anymore, but the mayor of the time came out and met me, Mr. Yoshiki Yaoren, Satoshi's father. I tried to run, but for the first time in years, I was met with kindness and concern. My powers prevented me from getting too close, but he said that he had a solution for me. He said he could give me back my human appearance. He couldn't fix me indefinitely, but he could help."

Her hand ghosted over her eyepatch, the symbol on it glowing slightly. She spoke, "With the help of those in the city, he constructed this eyepatch for me. Apparently the eye that had been slashed away by Acnologia, while I could not see out of it at all, it had become yellow, marked by the symbol of the dragon. He determined that when my eye met the visible world, my powers were triggered. All of my power was concentrated in that one area. By covering it, my powers are locked away, as well as my dragon-demon appearance. I was able to look like a human again. However, there are certain…differences. Such as, the control needed in order to remain human. I wanted the power to destroy Igneel's enemies, and I have it, just under my fingertips. I am tempted by it every day, to remove the eyepatch and lose myself."

She twiddled the ends of her hair. It was then that I made the connection, just before she said it herself, "Also, I don't understand it exactly, but my hair seems to act as a monitor of my soul. The bluer, the more humane and…'normal' I am. Whenever I lose control, I use my magic, or even through the long passage of time, the hair dyes itself red. That signifies the dragon's presence and the loss of my humanity."

Other instances when I saw her messing with her hair and times when she disappeared only to have her hair appear different flashed through my brain. Things were starting to really come together, and explanations of her habits are relieving many questions.

She continued, "The eyepatch was designed so that I alone could remove it, and only under the most dire of circumstances." Levy gasped and I remembered. She had said that the symbol meant "to seal" and it had reacted when others attempted to remove it. I remembered her fiddling with the eyepatch before and the pulsing of the light that accompanied her hand just now.

Yaseika continued, "It was the year X777. In return for Mr. Yaoren's kindness, I remained within the city walls, helping out as necessary, but primarily staying out of the way. It was his idea to create the weapons that I use now. The arrows and swords don't require the usage of magical power, so it was easy for me to wield them, even with the eyepatch. His son took over after he stepped down from his position. I created a distant secret life for myself with their help. They would provide me with the supplies I need and I would help to protect the city. He implemented laws and spell barriers in order to prevent people from being out at night. Should the dragon get loose, there would be less risk to the citizens." A very faint smile crossed her lips, "I heard about you Natsu, creating a name for yourself as the Salamander." Her frown returned, "Because you had gone ahead and joined a guild, I assumed that Igneel had gone through with his plan. I determined this when I watched you first use your magic."

Natsu finally spoke, "If you heard about me then why didn't you say anything? Why didn't you come to find me?"

Her eye looked at him and she spoke in a monotone voice, "I was still struggling to retain control and create habits for myself. As you know Natsu, the source of magical power stems from the feelings of the caster. Even without feelings, I couldn't control the magic. Feeling at all caused the power to overflow and explode out of me in waves. It was possible that I would harm even more if I sought you out."

Wendy, poor girl, spoke as well, "Why did you lie to us when we first met? You acted as though you had amnesia. You clearly didn't. Why?"

Yaseika continued to rub the bracelet on her arm before speaking, "I felt it would be better for Natsu. While I had no intentions of interacting with Natsu ever again, I knew that it could happen one day by chance. For somebody that was dead for so long to appear out of nowhere without a good explanation is strange. Also," she lowered her gaze, "I was ashamed of who I had become over the years. This primitive being, focused solely on surviving. I killed so many. I didn't want him to see me like that. So I felt it would be better for both of us."

She stood up and moved towards the window, the sun shining brightly in the sky, "I was content with my life in Fauna when you all arrived. It wasn't the kind of life I imagined myself living, not even the life I wanted to live at all." She rubbed her arms, "But it's all I have left. I have the lifespan and strength and powers of a dragon. It's nearly impossible for me to die. So I train to bring the Black Wizard and the Black Dragon down."

Rogue spoke slowly, "What do you mean, 'nearly impossible'? I don't understand."

Her eye flickered down again, not looking him in the eye as she spoke quietly, "I am another version of Acnologia. But I still fight to retain control. Before, when I thought there was nothing left for me, I wanted to retain control. When my will was not enough, I started using…other means… in an attempt to tame the beast, end my torment."

Natsu growled low, "You don't mean the…"

Yaseika interrupted him, "Yes. I do. Back when I wasn't in control, I attempted to end my life, many times. Jumping off of cliffs, impaling myself, hanging, starvation, sleep deprivation. You name it, I've probably tried it." My heart sank low in my chest. This dark turn caused fear to prickle my skin. She continued, "Clearly, they do not work. The dragon refuses to let me die in any way, not from my hand or another's. But I found that feeling that pain was a way of control. So, in particularly bad relapses, I cause pain to myself. Despite the fact I can't die, I can still feel the pain involved. It is excruciating. But it helps."

Wendy cried out, "No way! There has to be another way. Something different."

Yaseika turned her gaze on the young dragonslayer and the grief and despair in her eyes were breathtaking. She spoke, "I have wandered now for more than 20 years. I've been 'alive' for nearly 40. I'm older than most of the people in this room, even if I don't look it. If I have not yet found something, what hope do you have?"

Mavis spoke again, her voice both small and impactful, "I believe I finally somewhat understand. But I would like you to tell us everything from your point of view, about what has happened since the time you were captured in Fauna to now."

Yaseika clenched her fist but relaxed again. She said, "I cannot guarantee that I can tell you everything. I am being prevented from telling you certain information, even now. But I cannot bring it up myself. Somebody else must figure it out." She glanced over towards Mavis who nodded almost imperceptibly. There was something that Mavis clearly had figured out that we hadn't. What else did Yaseika have in store for us? An even bigger question is: will she be able to tell us?

 **One more chapter with Yaseika's backstory is coming up. It's primarily going to be this fanfic from her POV, with some major details missing. Then next up after that will be the continuation of the plot with Zeref, Acnologia, and the lead up to the final battle.**


	33. Chapter 33

Chapter 33: X791 – Today

 **ERZA POV**

I was analyzing all of the information that Yaseika was presenting to us. Most of it made sense, and it did explain a lot of her unusual behavior. Still, some things were still unexplained, such as why she was so hostile to me when I went digging in Fauna.

The young woman in question continued, "A little over a year ago, I had finished up in Fauna for the day and was preparing to transform during the night. It wasn't something I was looking forward to, but I had yet to find a way to stop the nightly transformations. So it became a part of my life. I was in the required area when these people approached me. It was just before sunset, so I told them to leave. They didn't. Even now, I don't know exactly what happened. I just remember smelling Dragonbane." Natsu growled at that and I remembered. It felt like so long ago, but I recalled when we all went to Fauna together for the job, the mayor had Dragonbane growing in the house, a plant that caused sleep and possibly death to dragons and dragon slayers.

Yaseika continued, "Next thing I knew, I was waking up in the hotel where Natsu and the others had rescued me."

I spoke up, remembering something told to me in Fauna, "I spoke with the ringleader of the group of people that took you. He said that they had heard about you from the local townspeople, how you always had a wolf companion, and how you didn't seem to age." When I had mentioned the wolf, her eye widened and her jaw opened slightly. I added, "They wanted your immortality for themselves."

A moment passed before she said quietly, "I told you before, I have the lifespan of a dragon now. I'm not immortal, but compared to your lives, mine could be considered eternal." I noticed that she didn't make any mention of the wolf, Striker I believe. This was a little strange.

She continued, "Obviously, as you know, afterwards I joined your guild. I didn't really want to at first, but I figured it was the best, based off of what I was hearing." I was about to ask what she heard when she said, "I heard that before you all disappeared you encountered both the Black Wizard and the Black Dragon. I figured that if I hung around long enough, I would get my chance of redemption and revenge." The dark shimmer in her eyes did not sit well with me.

She continued her story, "With regards to the whole…incident…on Tenrou Island, I will say that I succumbed to my instinct to use magic too easily. It will not happen again."

Thinking about Tenrou, I remembered that she had used her magic, and her previous words echoed in my head, about how using her dragon slayer magic now would mean the loss of her humanity. That explained why she disappeared afterward. She most likely feared that she would transform and thus escaped in order to regain control in private and in peace.

She continued, "In the fight against Tartaros, if you all remember correctly, when the floating fortress crashed to the ground, it was close to sundown. I realized this in the middle of the fight, and I ran. When I escaped, I sensed another presence that I hadn't felt in years. One that caused me to instantly transform, but this time, I was in more control. A perfect balance between human and dragon that was possible only to take down Acnologia." She clenched her fist yet again, "You basically know what happened after that."

Yes…the death of the Fire Dragon King Igneel.

She continued, "After Acnologia defeated me, I made a promise then, the first one I've made in decades. I would train to become stronger, to defeat Acnologia, as I am the only one in this room that can conceivably have the strength to."

Sting spoke up, his voice drawing Yaseika's attention, "I don't understand. There are seven other dragon slayers in existence, six of them, plus you, standing here. We all have the power of a dragon, designed to kill a dragon. We could all work together to…"

"No." the one-eyed girl interrupted. She spoke, "I understand where you are coming from, but I alone have a chance to defeat him. For he is not only a dragon, but also a dragon slayer, and a man. That is what makes him more powerful than the other dragons. Had Igneel been at full strength, I believe that there would have been a small chance for the Black Dragon to be defeated."

She turned to Natsu now, "I've spent the past year purely in my dragon form, for once becoming accustomed to my other half." That actually explained how she had been in the sky when Rogue had caught her. But she didn't seem to explain why she had been plummeting the ground while unconscious. She continued, "I wish I had trained more, but time is no longer our friend. The enemy is on the move, and they are coming straight for us, for the weapon Lumen Histoire. We must all prepare for the worst."

A chill passed through the entire guild hall at her words. Sting's Exceed stammered, "But…you're Fairy Tail, the strongest guild. Sabertooth can help too. As well as the other light guilds. We can make it through this…right?"

The look she gave the small Exceed had no emotion in it at all, but instead finality, "I do not know. The enemy is powerful. Should we succeed, many of us aren't going to make it out alive." She banged her hand on the table and her visible eye flashed yellow, "We must now prepare. The Black Dragon will be summoned through the chaos caused by our battle with Alvarez. We don't have a lot of time before they will show their faces."

Nobody knew what to say at first. I could tell that most people wanted to cheer, that they were ready for the coming fight, but Yaseika's words weren't sitting well with them. Then First stepped up and said, "Before this all begins, I must tell you all something." Was this her physical form or her spirit form? My mind flashed back to where I saw her body encased in the crystal in the basement. Mavis' eyes were downcast and she looked more serious than I had ever seen her.

Master Makarov muttered, "First…"

She shook her head, "It's okay Eighth. I must tell you about why Zeref is after Lumen Histoire. It has come time for me to tell you all of my sin." The last word caused murmurs to erupt around the guild hall before the room was silenced yet again.

She began to speak of the time before Fairy Tail was even formed, how she managed to learn magic, as well as the other three founders of Fairy Tail: Warrod, Yuri, and Precht. What I hadn't known, as well as the other guild members, was that all of these powerful wizards first learned their magic through their first master….Zeref. She explained how he suffered from the Black Ankhseram Curse. Otherwise known as the Cure of Contradiction, it toyed with the lives of those around the afflicted, robbing them of it whenever the afflicted cared for them too much. Mavis had convinced him to teach her Black Arts Magic, the kind of magic he knew best. She chose to use a spell before she was ready for it, and while it succeeded, the result was that she would no longer age or mature. It wasn't until she met Zeref again ten years later that she discovered that she had also been cursed by the Black Ankhseram Curse as a result of using the magic.

While she did not believe him at first, it wasn't long after that she 'awakened' her curse and killed for the first time. She didn't know for sure if she had caused that particular death, but the fear of the possibility drove her insane. She ran away from society. She tried to go back at times, only to kill everything around her yet again. So she stopped eating, stopped caring for herself at all. A year passed before she encountered Zeref yet again. She begged him to kill her, but he could not. They were both so desperate, the only two people in the world that could understand each other's pain. That was when they realized that they loved each other. But their love caused the curse to flare up in one fatal contradiction. Mavis's physical body died.

He returned her body to the guild hall and disappeared after that. Precht could see that Mavis was still alive in her body, but she was trapped in that eternal sleep. He also discovered that she had the Curse of Ankhseram. He did everything he could to revive her, in turn creating Lumen Histoire. An infinite source of magic. She believed that the enemy was after it in order to use it against Acnologia.

This information stunned the entire guild hall into silence once more. When we had absorbed the information she had presented to us, battle cries erupted from everywhere. Shouts of "They won't take the First's body" and "We'll win, to protect First" echoed around the guild. Mavis was on the verge of crying yet again, whispering, "Because of my sin, all of you are about to be in terrible danger."

Surprisingly, Gajeel was the one to speak up, "It ain't no sin to fall in love with somebody." Out of the corner of my eye, I swore I could see Yaseika and Rogue stiffen at his words, but it could have been part of my imagination. He added, "If I were part of the Council still, I wouldn't have arrested you for that." Everybody seemed shocked at his words and he shrugged, "I'm speaking the truth."

Mavis spoke, "Our love is a thing long dead." She glanced towards Yaseika, anger flickering in the latter's eyes. Mavis continued, "We must stop Zeref at all costs."

Then Freed piped up, "But he is ageless and immortal right? He can't die, so how can we defeat him?"

Then Natsu began to cackle. I turned towards him. Whenever he did this, he usually had some kind of plan, but they rarely worked. I wondered what he had come up with. He spoke, "Don't worry. I'll take care of Zeref. I've been saving a secret weapon, my right arm," he raised up the arm covered in bandages, "For just that purpose." I sensed something strong underneath the bandages, but I could not identify it. Yaseika on the other hand, appeared to pale and react. She took one small step backwards before promptly running out of the guild hall.

Natsu seemed confused at this, as did the rest of us. Mavis however did not seem concerned. Instead, Mavis was looking at Natsu's bandaged arm and after a few moments she nodded. She said, "I have thought of a few other countermeasures against Zeref. But for now, we will believe in you, Natsu." She then addressed everybody in the room, "Save up your magic and prepare yourselves. The battle is to come to us soon, as Yaseika has said. We are at a major disadvantage with regards to this upcoming war." She smiled faintly, "But you all have such strong friendship and bonds, I believe that victory is possible."


	34. Chapter 34

Chapter 34: Speaking of the Future

 **LUCY POV**

After everything that's happened over the past 24 hours, Master Makarov coming back, Fairy Tail being officially revived, Yaseika revealing her draconic nature, and Mavis telling us about her life before she died, my mind is reeling. I decided to go home in order to mentally prepare for the upcoming battle. This enemy that was coming, it was different, and a chill went down my spine as I remembered Yaseika's chilling words:

… _Should we succeed, many of us aren't going to make it out alive…_

I hugged myself and shuddered. I thought about Team Natsu and my heart fell in my chest. I sensed that something _really_ bad was going to happen to us in this final war. I reached for the book of Fate, it's white cover seeming to shine a little bit extra in the afternoon light. I could hear a lot of bustling outside. All of the civilians were evacuating. I opened the book to the first page and read the first sentence that I had first read what felt like centuries ago: Only the descendent of the fire dragon can save the world. They alone can feel the compassion of humans and the power of a deadly dragon. These words seemed to click within me. Before, when I had first read those words, I believed that they were about Natsu. But now I wasn't so sure. Yaseika had shown up shortly after I got the book, and while I wouldn't call her compassionate, she has been doing her best to control herself around us, while still lending us her strength.

I turned to the next available blank page and thought for a moment. Then I asked aloud, "In this fight that is coming, am I going to die?" The book seemed to not respond for a moment, before the following words appeared in ink: A contract is required to know this answer.

This wasn't the first time I had seen this response. It had shown up whenever I tried to find out about very serious things in the future, or about Natsu or Yaseika in particular. But now, more than ever, I needed to know the answer to my questions. So I decided to ask instead, "Who is going to die in the fight against Acnologia and Alvarez, and how can I save them?"

The same response appeared on the paper.

"When will the enemy arrive?"

No change.

"What is the powerful secret technique Natsu has developed?"

I shrieked in anger and held the book tightly in my hands as the same words appeared before me. What contract? I was about to ask that question when I heard a voice in my room say, "I wouldn't do that if I were you."

I jumped in shock and I looked up to see one of the dragon slayers in question standing before me. Her mouth was turned into a strong scowl and her eye was staring at me blankly. I gasped, "Yaseika!?" Then I realized where we were, "How did you find me?"

She shrugged, "Followed you."

Figures. Then I asked, "Why are you here?" Normally, if it were a member of Team Natsu, I would yell and try to kick them out, but because she had appeared so out of the blue and because of who she was, I became nervous.

Her eye lowered to the book in my hands. She said, "I sensed that you had one of the Books of Requirement. Its magic has been surrounding you ever since I first met you. I wanted to see if it was true."

"Book of Requirement?" I asked. She held out her hand and a light gathered there before a book appeared out of the light. With a gasp, I realized that it looked very similar to the book of Fate that I was holding in my own hands. The only difference was that the book was surrounded by a purple aura. I could feel the amount of power that the book possessed and I shuddered.

She spoke, "I was surprised that you of all people seemed to have come across this book, but since I never saw the aura around the others, I assume you have not told them about the true powers of the book?" She looked at me curiously, "Because of your reactions to the events of today, I can also assume that you have not awakened the true power of the book and you have not yet made a contract."

I finally found the ability to speak again and I croaked, "What are you talking about?"

She cradled the book to her chest and said, "I'll start from the beginning. The Book of Requirement is a magical tool that can be used to find any information that the reader wants. Even about the future that is to come. Only a few people have been able to access the full power of the book, being able to look weeks, even years into the future, finding information that has been lost to history. This ability to see all only can come from the amount of magical power and potential that the reader possesses. However, it is possible for someone of a lower magical ability to use the full power of the book prematurely. This is through making a contract to the book. A payment is required for the power of course."

Something tingled on the back of my neck and I asked, "What do you give up?"

She shrugged, "Depending on the information that you seek, it could be inconsequential. At first it can be some hair. But as the questions become more in depth, specific and important, the more needed to give up. An eye. A limb. Ability to speak." She sighed and waved her hand and the book she was holding disappeared. She said, "How else do you think I managed to learn the Forbidden Art?"

I gasped as it hit me. She made a contract within the book in order to learn the powerful Forbidden Art. But what did she give up in order to learn such high level and fatal magic?

I was about to ask when she said, "I gave up a section of my soul." My mouth was left agape. Her soul? She continued, "As time went by, the book would take on more and more of my soul until I was consumed by the book. Eventually, I would become a vessel of knowledge." She chuckled to herself, "That didn't happen obviously. One half of my soul was consumed by the dragon and over time, the rest of my soul has been consumed by the book. As such, there are some things that even I don't know. But," She looked at me, "Do not make a contract with the book. Especially not to find out information about myself. It won't work." She turned back to the window, "Because of my stronger control of the Book of Requirement series, I can prevent certain information from being shown to you. You won't find anything about me. Not anything that I'm unwilling to tell you."

Just then, the book on my lap gave off a faint glow. I looked down to see other words being scrawled into the book by an invisible hand. The words that appeared were: Yaseika Dragneel will perish in the upcoming fight. I gasped and Yaseika sighed. She said, continuing off her original statements, "Do not fall victim to your curiosity and greed. It has caused far too many accidents among the human race. You have many people that care more about you than you know. Including my…brother."

 _Natsu?_ She continued, "Giving up your soul to become a vessel while others still care about you, it isn't worth it. Even to try and save those same people." I thought about her words for a moment just as she made a move to leave my apartment. Then she stopped and turned towards me once more. She said, "That magic that he has developed. My brother. It will be able to weaken the Black Wizard to the point at which he will be able to be killed." Her eye clouded over, "But any magic that powerful comes at a terrible price."

I gasped. I put my hand on her shoulder and she flinched and I asked, "A terrible price? What's going to happen to him? Is Natsu going to be okay?"

Her gaze fell to the ground and she murmured so quietly, I had to strain to hear her, "I'm not completely sure myself. But I have an idea." She turned back away from me, silently telling me that she could not tell me the specific outcome of Natsu using the spell. Just before she leapt through the window, just as her brother had done so many times before, she spoke, "I believe that I can save him from the fate that awaits him. But there is one thing that I have to ask of you." I held my breath in anticipation. She had never asked something of me before, so for her to be so open about it, the situation must be serious. Yaseika continued, "When Natsu uses that spell on his arm against the Black Wizard, you must get away, as far away as you can."

I was in shock. When I had regained my senses enough to argue back, she said, "He cares about you more than anybody else in the world. If something were to happen to you caused by his actions, he would never be able to forgive himself. So for his sake, when he uses the spell, you must run the other way. I will contain him." Without even waiting for me to answer, she leapt out the window and before I knew it, she was gone.

I just sat on my bed for a while, my mind reeling once again. So much new information and so many warnings. Both to myself and to the world I whispered, "Natsu cares for you too Yaseika." A few tears fell down my cheek and I said, "Even though you've changed, you're still his big sister. He wants you to be safe. To be happy again." I remembered the words that appeared in the book just moments before, saying that Yaseika was going to die. "Why are you so nonchalant about the idea of death?" I whispered. If she was right and it was nearly impossible for her to die, if something manages to kill her, then what could be said about the rest of us? We don't stand a chance.

Some time passed before I sensed another presence enter the room. This time, a large wave of heat accompanied it and I knew instantly who it was. Natsu was smiling broadly, but it fell to a frown as soon as he saw my face. He asked, "Hey. Are you okay? What are you crying for?"

I wiped my face and tried to smile, but I could tell he didn't believe me for one second. Then Happy came flying through the window shrieking, "Hey Lucy!" I reacted subconsciously and before I knew it, both Happy and Natsu were both on the ground groaning in pain. I quietly muttered an apology. I began to consider my options, including telling Natsu to not use his 'secret weapon' or telling him about Yaseika and my conversation. Hell, I was even considering telling him about the Book of Requirement and what I know of Yaseika's future.

Happy said, "Whatever. It's so boring with the city being so quiet now." I hadn't even noticed and I looked out to see that the bustle of people passing by had completely vanished. More time must have past than I thought. The people must have finished evacuating. The sun was beginning to descend from the sky, the beautiful blue fading into vibrant and bright colors. The sunset reminded me of Yaseika's situation and her words to me.

As I was musing, I heard Happy say, "I brought some games. Your choice Lushie." I saw Natsu nod happily at Happy's words.

My brain snapped their actions, "I can't believe you guys! The battle against Zeref is due to start any day now and you guys are acting like this. Unlike you, I'm not looking forward to this fight."

Natsu's expression fell at my words and I could feel a chill travel up my spine. He said, "I think you've got the wrong impression about me. True, I'm always up for a good fight. But what I love about fighting is the contest of skill, not the violence and slaughter." My heart stuttered at hearing this and he continued, "I always love to see if I'm more badass than my opponent. But this fight coming soon," he hesitated, "This is no time for that. If we don't win, we won't live to see the next sunrise." His trademark grin spread across his face, "Besides, I got stuff I want to do once the fighting's over."

I gasped, "In literature, it's considered bad luck to be thinking of the future during such a bleak time. It means that the outcome of the battle will be tragic." I didn't know where these words were coming from, and I wanted to take them back, but my mouth wouldn't open.

Natsu looked at me and said, "Igneel always told me to speak of the future. Since that will become our will to live through this battle." His words caused a slight smile to break across my face. I allowed myself to relax slightly now. Still, in the back of my mind, I was recalling the statements of Yaseika. How she didn't even look surprised that the Book of Requirement said that she was going to die. That she said she would contain Natsu after he used his spell. What was going to happen to him? And is that why she's going to die?

Even though she told me to do the opposite, I've never been very good at following the rules. I'll stay by both Natsu's and Yaseika's sides during the fight. I will support them. I won't allow anybody to die!


	35. Chapter 35

Chapter 35: 12 Hours

 **YASEIKA POV**

I had done what I needed to, informing Heartfilia what I could about what was coming. I had asked _him_ what I could say, and unfortunately for her, the information available to her safely is incredibly vague. I could tell her that Natsu was in danger. But I couldn't tell her that the one that she loved, my brother, was going to embrace his darker half as a result of using the spell on his arm. He would lose himself and go into a violent rampage. That is what the Book of Requirement tells me.

I am currently in a blank clearing, surrounded by magical lacrima and pieces of wood. I am sitting cross-legged, sitting upright as I felt the energy of the world around me pulsing. My left hand was holding a slender piece of wood while my right hand held a water lacrima tightly. I breathed slowly, feeling the power that the lacrima held. I let some of my internal guard down and felt that power slowly begin to cross through my body. I felt it wash over me like a wave and for a single moment, I cherished this feeling. Then I focused the energy to my opposite hand that was holding the piece of wood. After every drop of magic had been placed into the wood, it began to glow. A moment later, it formed itself into a sharp arrow, a blue tip signifying the magic type.

I sighed and I put that arrow in my quiver on my back. I picked up another piece of wood and another lacrima when I felt a presence nearby. I sighed, knowing that he could hear me even if I whispered and said, "Son of Skiadrum, you do not need to hide within the shadows by me. I can sense you. I am currently in control. Approach and ask what you want to ask me."

 **ROGUE POV**

I was shocked that she had noticed me so easily. I slowly allowed myself to reform into a physical body. I had watched her create one of her arrows and I happened to see the expression of peace that had crossed her face. With the light of the late afternoon sun reflecting off her face, she briefly looked like an angel. It went away pretty quickly though. Still, that brief memory hung within my mind as something special. I felt as though I was the only one who had seen her in that state. I sat myself down next to her and I watched her visibly stiffen, but she didn't move otherwise. I didn't say anything at first, and she didn't make any move to continue what she was doing, so a silence enveloped us.

Finally she broke the silence by coolly saying, "You clearly have something you want to ask me about, so go ahead. I don't have a lot of time until I have to retreat for the night." I looked at the sky and realized how close it was to sunset. I didn't have a lot of time.

So I first asked, "So you creating those arrows. That was something that the mayor of…Faunta I think…taught you as an alternative to magic, right?"

Her eye steeled itself and she said, "Yes. The transfer of magic power between non-living things does not require any direct magic use on my part. It requires only a clear mind and focus. I have to allow the channel of magic energy to pass through myself after all. If I wasn't careful, I could accidentally trigger the dragon if I kept the magic within me for too long." She continued, after putting her arrow-making materials down, "It is a special kind of wood that can change into whatever I want after putting some magic into it. All of these supplies I get through Faunta."

I continued talking to her, going onto a different topic, "So, the dragon, it's something that resides within you, right?"

She answered immediately, "I suppose you could say that."

I asked, "Would you say that it could alter your decisions, acting as a second conscience?"

Her eye darkened for a moment before she said, "Yes. I have told you this before. It can change my actions depending on the present circumstance. Why do you bother to ask me again?"

I answered, "I have a darkness inside of me too. Everybody does, but it appears that our darkness' both have physical manifestations, as well as their own personalities." I remembered something else and decided to ask, "Last night, just before you transformed, your eye turned blood red." She seemed to tense again and I continued, "I can understand that your eyes are naturally purple and they turn yellow when consumed by the dragon. But why did your eye turn red before?"

She hung her head and said, "I can't answer that."

I pressed, "Can't or won't?

She snapped, "Why are you really here? I can sense that this isn't the conversation that you wanted to be having."

I froze for a moment and swallowed. Here came the more difficult part. Trying to keep myself near her like Gajeel said. As she hasn't reacted in a hostile way towards me, I figured that what he said was true. About us being mates. I said carefully, "I just wanted to see if I could talk to you some more. You and I seem to talk well together and we seem to be somewhat similar, even though you are limited in your current emotional capacity." I hadn't meant for those words to sound harsh, but as soon as I said them, I felt bad.

I was going to take them back when she spoke softly, "Why do you want to get to know me? Are you trying to figure out a weakness in order to end my life?" I gasped and she said, "I pose a threat to everybody in the world, so I can't blame you. But I can't even figure out how to die, so I don't expect you to find anything either."

I felt a pain in my chest at her words for some reason. I amounted it to us being mates. _Does this mean I'm beginning to like her more? But I barely even know her._ I said, "That isn't why I want to talk with you more. Maybe some people are like that, but not me." She didn't respond to my words so I added, "I just wanted to get to know you better. Is that so wrong?"

She responded coolly, causing chills to travel across my skin, "What if I don't care? I don't particularly care about you, or anybody else. Anybody who has been close to me these past decades have ended up dead. So tell me, Son of Skiadrum, why would I want to know you better?"

Her formal title for me caused me to snap back, "I told you already, my name is Rogue. I don't want to be known as the 'son of Skiadrum' anymore. Just call me Rogue."

She looked at me, a faint rage now present in her eye, "I will call you what I deem necessary." She turned away from me and picked up the piece of wood and lacrima again and blankly said, "Now if you don't have anything else to say, please leave. I need to finish this so I'm prepared for the war."

She closed her eye and I said, "I won't leave. I keep feeling drawn to you and I want to speak to you and know you, because you are special. You are different. As much as you may deny it, I know you feel it too."

The piece of wood burst into a bright light and splintered into countless pieces. I jumped slightly and the look she gave me almost made me regret what I had said before. Almost. She spoke low, warning lacing her tone, "I don't know what the hell you are talking about. But I suggest you stop it now. Before I lose control again. Leave."

She was about to go back to what she was doing when my mouth blurted out words before I had even thought about them, "Gajeel told me that we are mates."

She froze in place while reaching for another piece of wood. She eventually turned towards me again, but she stood up and took a few steps away. She said, "I gave up that future long ago."

I was surprised. I asked, "You don't deny it?"

She shot back immediately with, "Regardless of what 'fate' tells us, we still have a free choice. Mates must accept each other after all."

Without thinking, I answered, "I don't know you that well, but I feel comfortable around you. Even though you say that you can lose control, I feel safe around you. I want to help you through this. Let me help you. I would accept you."

She turned away from me, and I could see her trembling. I approached her and gently took her hand. She ripped it out of my grasp and turned towards me. She hissed, "I don't care what 'fate' says. I will _never_ accept you." Something within me felt as though it was breaking and burning up into ashes.

I croaked and asked, "Why? You said before that you wanted help. You actively searched for it. Now that I'm offering to help you, even at my own risk, you turn away from me. Why?! Tell me!"

It was then that I heard Yaseika giggle. My heart turned to ice and despair turned into horror as I watched her expression change drastically. Her eye was wide open, tinges of madness pulling at the corners. She cackled, "I never said it, did I? You want to know why I don't get close to people anymore? I'll tell you, _Son of Skiadrum_." She reached towards her eyepatch, and while she did not make any movements to take it off, I tensed in preparation to subdue her if need be. She continued, "When I first became a dragon, even when I returned to the Second Dragon Force form, my powers were not at their peak. That only happened when I took the life of a living creature for the first time."

Her eye then began to fill with tears and her mouth fell into a sob. She cried, "Who do you think I killed first, huh? The one creature that was closer to me than anybody else in the world. My partner. My first true friend." I saw a shimmer by her side and a moment later, a faint image of an animal appeared. As time passed, the image filled itself and solidified into the proud stance of a wolf. It was standing with constant vigilance at Yaseika's side, its green eyes regarding me suspiciously.

I gasped. I had heard about this wolf. Erza had mentioned it and I had heard stories from the other Fairty Tail guild members about Natsu's past with Yaseika and their previous encounters and impressions. Then Yaseika finished speaking, "I entered this true hell of isolation and madness when I killed my best friend. My only friend in the world without Igneel and Natsu. I killed Striker when I lost control!" Her voice cracked at the mention of the wolf's name. The wolf in question seemed to nuzzle up against Yaseika's side, in an attempt to comfort her. Yaseika did not even acknowledge Striker's presence. _Could it be that she can't see him? If she said she killed him, why can I see him?_

The wind picked up around us and I watched the illusion of Striker fade away to nothing. Yaseika and I were left alone in the clearing yet again. A silence fell between us. My jaw was hanging open blankly. I didn't know what to say. What could be said in a situation like this? The sun was on the verge of setting when Yaseika finally turned away from me, her usual stoic expression returning to her face. She said softly, but I could still hear her, "I feel pain and punishment every day for what I did. I ended up killing Striker because I cared for him too much. I lost control of my power through my emotions. I can't go through that again. I wouldn't be able to handle it. For that reason, Son of Skiadrum, I can't become close to anybody and why I forfeited my ability to have a mate a long time ago." She looked up at the sky and said, "The time has come for you to go. Leave me."

For once, I didn't argue. I could tell that this conversation was over. I left the clearing, traversing the forest in the dark. A few moments later, as I was reproaching the edges of Magnolia, I could hear the roar of a dragon. However, instead of sounding triumphant and powerful, it sounded mournful and despairing. With a pang, I realized that many of the people in the Fairy Tail guild were unaware of the true agony and pain that Yaseika has to go through every day. After all, I only spoke to her for about a half-hour and I watched her focus and ability to retain control dwindle within a matter of minutes.

Even though she said that she can't become close to anybody, I knew that we were something different. Maybe we wouldn't be able to cross the threshold of mates, but we would be special. The fight against all of the dark forces is coming soon. All of the light guilds are preparing for battle. Yaseika seems aware of something that is coming during this war. Even though she won't tell us, I will do what I can to help her, whether she wants it or not. Even though I barely know her, if something were to happen to her and I could have stopped it, I would lose my mind. Maybe I would fall into my own shadow and become one with the darkness inside of me. She didn't accept me and for now, I'm actually okay with that, even though I do feel pain from the rejection. But she didn't say no. She simply said that she couldn't have a mate because of the emotions involved. Perhaps internally, she really does feel the same way I do.

I can only hope that I can find a way to help her soon. I can see her losing her mind and it's driving me insane. If the conversation with her dragon half was any indication, Yaseika's human side was on the verge of fading out of existence. I had to stop that from happening. I would save her at any cost.

 **So as I'm writing this, I realize that Rogue is a bit OC, but that's mostly just because he is now one of the core characters of my story. In comparison to the other characters, there isn't a huge amount of information in regards to his personality and we, the readers, only encounter him a few times throughout the series.**

 **Anyways, I hope that you all enjoy this latest installment! Make sure to let me know what you think of it in the reviews!**


	36. Chapter 36

Chapter 36: The Fight Begins

 **YASEIKA POV**

That boy is unaware of what he is messing with. Tampering with. An insignificant part of me wishes to tell him the truth, even though it could kill him. What is this? I have never felt this way about anything before. Not since before the day I left home.

I saw the worry and fear in Heartfilia's eyes when she saw through the Book of Requirement that I was going to die. This revelation does not surprise me. The fight that is to come is the most intense that this world has experienced in centuries, since the Dragon King Festival. Surely something just as significant as Acnologia proclaiming himself the Dragon King will happen this time. However, if I go down, I'm bringing him with me.

I have devised different strategies to combat him and win. Worst case scenario, I will leave him battered to the hands of Titania. I will give her what she needs to finish him off when the time is right. For the time has nearly come. The end of the month comes, only for the end of an era. For an era to end and for the next to begin. But will it begin in peace and light? Or in flame and death?

 **? POV**

All of the mages in Magnolia are currently spending time with those that they care about in order to mentally prepare for the war that is to come. The Heiress has provided them with very little information about the outcome, but they still worry. They crave togetherness with those they care about, fearing that this may be the last time they can be together like this. Fearing that come the next day, some of them may not be alive to talk about it.

The Ice Make Mage promises to tell the Water Witch about his feelings for her after the war. He doesn't now because he plans to focus on defeating END, the bane of both his and his father's existence. He needed to focus. In order to complete his mission. What will he do when he realizes that one of his friends and comrades is the demon that he needs to kill? Will he have the heart to go through with it? Even I can't tell.

The Requip Mage praising the Sky Dragon Slayer of her commitment to their guild, promising to protect both her and her Exceed companion during this war. The younger ones say the same to Titania.

The Fire Dragon Slayer, or should I say the human form of END, plays a game with the Celestial Mage and his Exceed partner, blissfully unaware of the future that awaits him. On the other hand, the Celestial Mage keeps giving him worried looks. I watched the Heiress provide general information about what was going to happen to the boy, and while I believe that this was uncalled for, it does not appear to have changed the future one bit.

The Iron Dragon Slayer and the Script Mage are sitting outside together, talking about everything and nothing. An Exceed watches the both of them with a wary but relaxed eye.

A father and his father's smoking partner are with the family of gunslingers, watching the young girl child play with the boy child user of Rainbow Fire. Worry and fear are in their expressions. Will the children be safe? Will they all be able to survive this? Will families be broken as a result of this fight? Will they die in order to protect the young ones?

A daughter wonders if her father will come home in time to fight. He is one of their strongest mages after all. But even he can't stop what is to come.

The White Dragon Slayer and Shadow Dragon Slayer rest with their Exceeds, the latter barely able to sleep, thinking of the one member that is completely alone during this time: the Heiress.

The ghost cursed by my own hand makes plans with the current Master, hoping to prevent as many tragedies as possible that are to come tomorrow. Unfortunately for them, as both I and the Heiress know, some people are going to die tomorrow, despite their best efforts at protection. After all, she knows the names of those going to die, but I know how. I know when and by whose hand the final blow will come.

The person in question is currently sitting upright, her tall form overlooking the entire city. Her purple eye not missing a single movement around her, while her yellow eye shifted with a blind gaze. Her tail was shifting on the ground, and her wings flapped slightly. I can sense her anxiety, but not just about the fight that is coming. I have told her what she can say and what she can't, as it is part of her punishment. Using that spell before she was ready and using it for the wrong reasons to boot. It is a rule of life. Thus, I must enact it.

She is currently angry with me, even though she won't openly say it. Making a deal for power with her brother appears to have agitated her. Still, I can't say our relationship has been particularly friendly, even after all of this time. I am causing her pain after all.

Despite this, we converse from time-to-time, her attempting to weasel information related to the future out of me. She believes herself to be so powerful, despite not being in complete control. I, of course, hold the upper hand. I am a god.

But even now, she is unaware of her greatest weakness. Although I have indirectly warned her of this danger, I can only wonder what she will choose to do when it comes to light. What will she do when the power she possesses as a dragon slayer is not enough to defeat her enemies? What is she willing to give up in order to win?

We will all meet in the coming future. All that follow the path of light and the path of darkness. Question for them though is, will they be alive or dead?

The faint light of the sun is beginning to appear on the horizon while the near fullness of the moon falls. The dawn of the new day that will bring stunning revelations and tremendous loss begins now.

 **LUCY POV**

I woke up early in the morning, an uncomfortable feeling in the pit of my stomach. I stretched out my body, feeling another's body next to mine. I froze at first before remembering the events from last night.

In a moment of randomness, I had asked Natsu to stay with me. Yaseika's words were still running around in my head:

 _That magic he has developed…comes at a terrible price….run the other way. I will contain him._

 _Contain him?_ _What on earth does she think is going to happen to him?_ Even the brief thought of losing Natsu in the near future is messing with my head, and I couldn't even imagine a life without him in it. So I had asked him to stay, some part of me afraid of losing him if he left. He seemed to be looking at my face with great focus before he agreed. He and I just lay in bed together, neither falling to sleep for a while, before I heard a loud sound that seemed to be coming from far away.

I felt Natsu tense beside me before he murmured, "That's Yaseika. That's her roaring now."

My heart began to beat fast in my chest. I whispered, "Does that mean the enemy is already here? That we are in danger?"

He shook his head and his face fell. He muttered, "She doesn't sound angry or in battle. Just sad. Really sad." He wrapped his arms around me and held me tight to him. Even though the position was a bit provocative, I didn't mind in the slightest. The roar trickled down to silence, before the quiet enveloped the both of us yet again.

He broke the silence, speaking to me tenderly, "I'll protect you Lucy. Just like I protected you in the Dragon Raid. I won't let you be like…" he trailed off, but I knew what he was referring to. He wouldn't let me become like my Future self, who died in order to protect me. Although, if I understood the Future Lucy's notes correctly, the Natsu from her time had died protecting her. I couldn't let that happen. Despite what the future is supposedly telling us, I will protect him too, from whatever is supposed to happen.

I said, "Thank you, Natsu. But we are a team. You, me, and Happy. We'll protect each other." I smiled at him and he chuckled.

Shortly after that, we had fallen asleep and now I was awake in bed with Natsu. He was currently still asleep, his eyes closed peacefully over his relaxed face. I saw his bandaged arm and felt the magic power emanating from it. I frowned and ran my hand over it, wondering just what the consequences would be to use this power.

Then I heard a voice, "You don't usually have that look on your face. Is something wrong?" I jumped to see his onyx eyes staring directly into my own. I pulled my arm away quickly, but he grabbed onto my hand, his gaze piercing.

I thought about my options for a moment, before finally saying, "I'm scared Natsu. Yaseika…"

His eyes narrowed at the sound of her name, "What about her?" he asked. While I did see he cared and worried about his "sister", he didn't like a lot about what she had said about the war yesterday. Something about it being ridiculous and unnecessary. Something about her needing to stop being so pessimistic.

I continued, saying only what I needed to, "She came to visit me last night, just before you and Happy showed up. She told me that…she was concerned about this magic that you had learned for the purpose of defeating Zeref."

He broke out into a grin, "What's the problem?" He held the arm in question with his other hand and said, "There's nothing to worry about. This is definitely powerful enough to take him down, or at least get rid of the majority of his magical ability."

I hesitated before continuing, "She told me that certain magic comes with a price. The Dragon Slayer Forbidden Art takes the caster's life. Iced Shell does as well. Even Mavis paid a price of the Curse of Ankhseram after using a spell prematurely. I'm just worried that this magic you developed comes with some kind of side-effect as well as a result of being so powerful." At my words, his smile fell and turned into a frown for a just a moment, before he turned away from me. This was not missed by me, "Hold on! There isn't a side-effect you know about already, is there?!"

He flinched at my raised voice before he murmured, "No. I don't know for sure what is going to happen when I use the spell. But I do know something will."

"What?! How?!"

He continued, "Back when I was training for a year, before I ran into Gildarts, I came across this temple of some sort. It looked long abandoned and since it seemed pretty isolated, I decided that Happy and I could stay there overnight. I remember having this dream, where I met this guy. I couldn't see his face, but he called himself Ankhseram."

I cried out, "That's the God of Life and Death itself! It's because of him that both Zeref and Mavis are cursed! Why did he talk to you?"

Natsu shrugged and said, "I don't know. He said something about how my heart was calling out for more power, the power to defeat my enemies. He said he would give that power to me, if I was willing to pay the price for it after I had used it." He chuckled, "At first I was pretty hesitant but then he said something along the lines of how as a god, he can't break his deals, and usually he asks for the payment in advance. But he said that my future deemed it necessary for my payment to be paid at a later time. Eventually, I agreed, as he convinced me that this was the only way of having a future without Acnologia or Zeref. He touched my arm and a bandage appeared." He rubbed his covered arm and finished with, "When I woke up in the morning, I still had the bandage on my arm, and I could feel the power pulsing through me. I can't tell you what the spell does, as I do not know for sure myself, but I will know what to do when the time is right. That's what Ankhseram told me anyways."

The next few minutes passed in silence. I was processing what he had told me, until I eventually slapped him in the arm. He looked at me in confusion and I screeched, "You IDIOT! You should have told me what happened. This deal you made…you could be in real trouble! You could even become like Zeref or Mavis! You could be cursed by Ankhseram for using this spell!" I held my face in my hands and I could feel tears threaten to fall down my cheeks.

I could hear Natsu shuffling slightly until he was standing up in front of me. He took my right hand, the pink Fairy Tail guild mark standing out proudly in the faint light of the morning sun. He spoke, determination and fierceness lacing his words, "I promise you Lucy. I will never let that happen. I swear upon Fairy Tail, upon Igneel, upon anything you want, that I…we will come out of this fine. All of us. Even if the god comes and asks me for my life as payment, I will fight with everything I have to make sure that we will always have a future together…as partners."

I blushed at his words and the double meaning behind them. I didn't think that he had meant the words like _that_ but they still caused a faint flutter in my chest. Sometime during the one year of Fairy Tail's disbandment, I realized that I harbored very strong feelings for Natsu, and not just in the friend way. I had missed him for more than I had initially realized. I just didn't know what to do about them. Especially now that the present may be the best and worst time to confess said feelings.

I wanted to tell Natsu about the future I had read in the Book of Requirement, about Yaseika's currently 'scheduled' demise, when a faint whirring sound came from outside.

 **NATSU POV**

This sound, while it was quiet, I could tell that it was coming from relatively close by. The noise began to raise in volume with each passing second. Then I heard a voice, clear as day in my mind. It was Mavis. She screamed, "Prepare for battle! They are here!"

Lucy and I shot into action at the First's words. Shaking the sleep from our eyes, Happy ended up bursting into the room, barely even able to stand upright. Within minutes, we left Lucy's apartment.

Sprinting down the street, the sight that greeted us was not a good one. The streets were currently almost completely deserted, but the sky was what presented the worry. Up in the air were many battle airships, at least 3 dozen that I could see immediately. All of them had their weapons pointing forward, towards Fairy Tail.

There was one larger ship leading this air armada, and although it was really far away, I could make out the figure of a young man dressed in black robes, a white toga billowing in the wind. He was standing at the front of the ship, a single arm held out in front of him. I growled low, "Zeref."

He was here.

In the next few moments, the Black Wizard swept his arm to the side, and with that, all chaos erupted. The ships fired magic beams down towards the ground and explosions could be seen and heard. I could distantly hear shouts of the guild members scrambling for cover and to make a protection barrier. Spells and incantations were being screamed above the chaos.

The other guilds, Sabertooth, Lamia Scale, Blue Pegasus, even Mermaid Heel and others were coming as well. I could sense them, but they would be a while before they would arrive. As of now, Fairy Tail was alone in combating the Black Wizard.

The battle to protect Fairy Tail, to protect Fairy Heart, and to protect all of Fiore has now begun.

I turned to see Lucy and Happy at my side, both of their jaws dropped open and eyes wide. Lucy's eyes began to fill with tears and I felt the power under the bandages pulse with power. I took Lucy's hand and she looked at me in shock. I said, squeezing her hand reassuringly, "Together."

She swallowed and gave me a watery smile and whispered back, "Together."

 **And thus the battle begins! I hope you enjoyed this latest installment! I will not be updating again for a while, till about mid-April because of trips and commitments. So here's a slightly longer chapter to make up for that. But I hope you stick around and will read till the conclusion of this tale! Because it's coming soon!**

 **Speaking of the conclusion, I'm currently working on developing the fight sequence and the result of this fight. There are many different ways to end it and I can't just choose one. So I've decided that for the ending of this story, I'm going to eventually post several different "endings", like in a video game. Whichever one is the true ending is up to you the reader. You can choose how the story ends.**


	37. Chapter 37

Chapter 37: Pain of the Past

 **LUCY POV**

Dashing into the fray of battle, I could see that a number of guild members were already fighting. The Strauss siblings were in their respective Take Overs and were fighting at least five enemy on their own. Gray and Juvia were fighting back-to-back, their magic working well together. I watched Alzack and Bisca whip themselves and their guns around with practiced ease. Asuka was nowhere in sight, but I assumed that she was somewhere safe, away from here. I could see Romeo supporting his father. Gajeel looked pissed as expected, but he was snarling towards some enemy, Levy and Lily by his side. I couldn't see anybody else from where I was standing and I silently prayed for their safety.

A figure dressed in dark clothing lunged toward us and before I could even get my whip out, Natsu punched the guy into the ground with a flaming fist. I looked at him and gasped at the change that had overcome him. Usually as he fights, he taunts, he grins, and gives the aura that he is having fun. None of that was present now. Instead, his eyes were narrowed in concentration and disgust, a permanent scowl on his face. His entire body tensed and he ducked as an enemy's body was thrown from behind over his head. The focus present in his body language was intimidating and he let out a dark snarl before dashing away, leaving Happy and me behind.

Happy looked after him for a moment before saying, "Lucy. Come on! We have to fight!" He clenched his paws into fists and rose them up. The blue cat looked terrified beyond measure, but if he was putting a brave face on, then I would too. I pulled out a key from my belt and called out Taurus, using Star Dress. Natsu was currently out of sight, but I figured I would run into him again eventually, so I began to knock the enemy out.

The soldiers and mages weren't really that powerful, but what made this ordeal exhausting was that the enemy just kept on coming, and these weren't like the illusions I had fought some time ago. These were all real people. I could see Zeref still standing at the front of his ship, watching the fight with little emotion. I didn't know how much time had passed, but I guessed a few hours as the sun was now high in the sky. I had just used my whip to fling one of the enemy to an unknown location when I heard a voice shout "Sky Dragon Wing Attack!"

I knew that young voice from anywhere, and I dashed over towards the sound, to find Wendy and Carla, facing off against three other mages at the same time. Wendy was using Dragon Force, her usually blue hair now bright pink and her skin dotted with faint scales. With a swipe of her arm, a strong blast of wind followed and blew the enemy away. She noticed me and ran up to me, "Lucy! You're okay!" She looked around me and then frowned, "I thought Natsu would be with you."

I shrugged responding, "He ran off. I'm sure I'll run into him at some point. How are you doing?"

She sighed and Carla answered, "We're okay for now, but this is getting tiring." As she spoke, Wendy faded out of Dragon Force, her usual appearance showing up again. The white cat said, "Wendy doesn't know for how long she can keep this up. Staying in Dragon Force isn't an option, but switching back and forth isn't much better. When are the others supposed to arrive?"

I swiped with my whip, taking down several other people and responded, "Before nightfall if I had to guess. They could get here any time." Then I remembered something from a little over a week before. I asked her, "Is this the vision you had? The one after Yaseika went ballistic at the hospital? The one that was so horrific?

Carla hesitated for a moment before saying, "It has not come to pass. But at the moment, it is still going to happen. Anytime within the next 24 hours."

Wendy cried out, "What?! That soon?"

Carla held her head low, "Most likely less time than that."

I was in shock before I finally managed to ask, "Carla. What did you see?"

The Exceed hesitated yet again before finally answering, "Since I first got the premonition, some things have come to make more sense as we learn more about this war and Yaseika. Even so, perhaps knowing adds more horror." I gasped and she continued quickly, "In the vision, I watched something that looked like Yaseika, I couldn't tell for sure because it was dark, scream and be encased flame and darkness. A red dragon and a black dragon equally fought each other and rampaged around Magnolia, destroying everything in its path with burning flames. People were screaming for their loved ones. I also watched the Book of END open and a figure step out of it. Then the future goes dark. I can't see what happens next."

I could do nothing but stand where I was blankly. I didn't know what to say. That future was dark. Very dark. Very bad. END was going to rise? If that happened, there's no telling what would follow.

I could see Happy trembling as he said, "So the red and black dragons are Yaseika and Acnologia? And if she's destroying Magnolia, does that mean…she loses herself?" His voice was tiny and I could tell he was on the verge of tears.

Carla hung her head low and said, "I do not know. For some reason, the future after today is very vague, and I can't see what is coming." I remembered the words that I had seen in the Book of Requirement, about how Yaseika was going to die today. I shuddered and I thought to myself. _Yaseika…what is it that you know…? What is it you aren't telling us?_

Yaseika had seemed very calm at the possibility that she was going to die. She wasn't afraid of death, and from what she's been telling us all this time, I gathered that it's something that she actually wants. Still, she seemed to be worried about what was coming. I just wanted to know what it is she does.

Just then I heard a keening cry from farther away. I didn't recognize it, but Wendy immediately tensed and began running. She shouted, "Erza!" My chest felt as though it turned to ice as I took off after the young girl. After lunging through the violence and people that surrounded us from all directions, we found Erza, her hand on her sword, one knee on the ground. A large gash was visible across the stretch of her back, dying her clothes in crimson. She was breathing heavily, and I turned to face the person she was going against. Although, person may not have been the best description.

The enemy she was facing had the head of a snake, while the body of a lion supported it. Its orange colored eyes were alluring, and as it caught my gaze, I realized that I could not look away. I began to walk forward without even thinking, just to get closer to those eyes that were so beautiful…so hypnotizing…I could hear people singing an angelic hymn in my mind. My entire body felt as though it was floating in the air. I was in so much peace. I just needed to be closer to those eyes…

"LUCY!"

I heard somebody scream my name as I was yanked to the side, landing on the ground painfully. I blinked a few times to realize that the snake/lion beast was biting the ground, right around where I had been standing. I turned to the side to see black hair, and after my vision cleared, I murmured, "Gray?"

He sighed, "Jeez Lucy, you nearly gave us a heart attack." I looked back towards the beast when he turned my face towards him and said, "Don't look at the eyes. It will take control of your mind and make you go to it to be killed. Let Erza handle this."

As he spoke, I looked up at the redhead only to see that she had covered her eyes with some sort of cloth. She held the sword in her hand tenderly, her entire body tense. I turned away and looked around me. Much of the fighting was still going on, but it felt as though Fairy Tail was going strong. We had a chance. We could do this.

I heard a heroic cry and I turned back to see Erza standing over the beast, triumphant. Even though I couldn't see her eyes, I guessed that they were bright with victory. Then I noticed something shifting behind her.

I couldn't see what it was, but I heard Gray scream, "ERZA! LOOK OUT!" She turned around and just in time, I managed to see another magical snake-lion beast. Though this one seemed slimmer, it attacked with similar strength. Too quickly for even Erza to get out of the way. The fangs of the beast were lunging towards Erza's upper torso when a blur of purple flitted in front of her.

When the dust cleared, I could see a figure standing, her arm out in front of her, the beast biting deep into it. Her eye didn't even flinch as she punched the beast in the snout, knocking it unconscious immediately, allowing her arm to be free from the jaw.

I gasped, "Yaseika!"

She turned at the sound of my voice, only to see all of our shocked expressions, Erza's most of all. She shrugged, "You need to keep your guard up. All of you. I didn't expect this from you Titania." Yaseika's arm dropped limply at her side, blood spilling profusely from the wound.

Wendy cried out, "Your arm! I need to give you medical treatment immediately." But as the young girl took a step forward, Yaseika shook her head and held her arm up. In awe, we all watched as the jagged wound sewed itself up, stitching itself back together until it looked as though it hadn't been cut in the first place. With the exception of all of the blood.

Erza murmured, "How? Even a dragon background or being half dragon shouldn't give you the power of regeneration. You may be able to heal faster, but nobody can heal that fast without some other kind of magic. How are you doing that?"

Yaseika's eye flashed slightly and she took an arrow out of her quiver and stabbed behind her. An enemy that had been trying to attack her from behind fell to the ground, lifeless. She placed the arrow right back in the quiver.

She spoke hurriedly, "There is no time to explain now. Where is Natsu?"

I answered, "I don't know. He ran off a while ago. I haven't seen him since." Just then, a thought passed through my mind and my heart jumped in my chest. What if he had already used that magic on his arm? What if he was in trouble? Or worse? Yaseika said she would…contain…him. If she hasn't seen him, does it mean that it's too late?

Yaseika took one look at my face and said, "He is fine. I need to tell him something. Immediately. As well as give you something, Titania."

Erza's eyes widened at the sound of her name, when a loud sound came from above us. I looked up only to see that the armada of airships was beginning to drop something to the ground. It looked like…packages?

As they got closer and closer to the ground, Yaseika's eye widened and she shouted, "If you do not wish to die, RUN!" I had no idea what she had seen, but it couldn't be good. But there was no time. The packages were too close. There was no way to flee.

Just then, a large black and white barrier began to form over the whole sky, creating a filmy barrier between the armada, and those of us on the ground. I watched as the packages made contact with the barrier and burst into a number of explosions. It would have looked beautiful had I not known that that could have happened down here and hurt and killed us if it wasn't for the barrier.

As the last of the explosions faded, the barrier began to crack and shattered into countless droplets of light and shadow. I gasped. _Light and shadow? That means…_

I heard somebody groan nearby, "Good thing we thought of that in time." I turned towards the voice to see the two dragon slayers breathing heavily, the last of the tendrils of magic from the spell they had cast fading into the air.

I shouted, "Sting! Rogue!"

The former gave off a cocky grin and said, "No big deal. Right?" His face was scrunched up in discomfort, as he held his side. Clearly he had been hurt some time before. For him to be able to pull that off with a smile reminded me so much of Natsu.

Rogue smiled faintly at his partner's words but the smile nearly faded at the sight of Yaseika. He, as well as Sting after a moment, ran up to us and said, "You guys okay?" Even though he was referring to all of us, he was looking directly at Yaseika as he asked it. It was clear that he was referencing the blood on her clothes. She didn't appear to acknowledge him at all.

Wendy answered him, "This enemy with a snake head was attacking Erza. She managed to beat it, but then another showed up. Erza would have been a goner if Yaseika hadn't shown up when she did. Yaseika got her arm pretty badly hurt though, but she managed to heal herself. Somehow. We are all okay though."

Then I heard a voice that I had been searching for all of this time, "Why are you bleeding Yaseika?" We turned towards the noise to see Natsu standing there. As I had hoped, he was standing there with barely a scratch on him, the bandages still wrapped tightly around his arm. Still, the dark aura that had been around him before was still there, and it worried me.

She shrugged but Erza answered, "She's fine Natsu. We can exchange stories later. She was just saying she was going to give me something and that she had something she needed to tell you, Natsu."

Yaseika spoke then, "Yes. First, Natsu." She closed her eye and spoke gravely, "That spell on your arm. I know what it does." His eyes widened in shock but she continued, "Do not interrupt me as we do not have a lot of time. It will do what you want. It will weaken the Black Wizard to the point that he can be easily defeated. However," Her eye snapped open, "You must not use the spell until after the Black Dragon has been taken care of."

Gray stiffened and he asked, "What are you talking about?"

She looked at him, coldness and seriousness in her eyes, "The Black Dragon will arrive sometime soon, before nightfall. This chaos will draw him here. Natsu, you must not face the Black Wizard until the dragon has been defeated."

Natsu's eyes narrowed and he asked, "Why not?"

She spoke quickly, "I cannot explain now. Titania." She reached into her quiver and from it withdrew an arrow that took my breath away. It was pitch black, the point impossibly sharp. But what was surprising was the power pulsing from it. It was a multitude of magic, the different types swirling together, creating a magic that I had never even once imagined.

Yaseika spoke, "This is the weapon I have been developing for over the past fifteen years. Any magic I have encountered over that time has condensed itself within this single arrow. This arrow, shot directly at a weakened dragon's heart, will kill it." She held it out to Erza, "I give it to you. I have faith that you will shoot straight and true."

Erza asked, suspicion lacing her tone, "Why don't we use the weapon as soon as Acnologia arrives? It will not place as many people at risk."

Yaseika's eye narrowed and she tensed, "This will only work when the dragon is at its weakest. It is the closest to Slayer Magic I could develop without actually being Slayer magic. I may not be able to use the arrow. I need you to shoot the wild dragon." I watched Carla freeze up at Yaseika's words. I could tell that she was thinking about the premonition she had told us about. I became nervous too. Something about Yaseika's words felt wrong. Very wrong. They sounded very practiced, and while she has spoken to us before with no emotion at all, it felt as though this time we were being forced, Yaseika leading the helm. Was it because of something she knows?

Erza hesitated for a moment, before slowly taking the arrow out of Yaseika's hands. Yaseika said, facing away from us, "There are more things that should be said, but I cannot tell you any more."

Natsu's eyebrows narrowed in confusion, but before anything else could be said, something else happened.

Dust began to billow around us and the wind picked up significantly. I looked up and shock ran through me as I saw that the airship Zeref was on was directly above us now. He was looking down at us with cold black eyes, and he swiped his hand to the side. A figure jumped down from the ship, at least a hundred feet from above us. While the figure fell quickly, time had felt as though it had frozen. That figure made me feel very anxious, adding to that from before.

The figure landed on the ground, the sound of breaking bones echoing in my ears. I cringed at the noise, and the others did as well, with the exception of Yaseika. Instead, she was looking at the figure with a scowl. She appeared to recognize whoever this was.

She growled, "Blaze."

The figure stood up, the sound of shifting bones reaching my ears. The dust cleared and I was shocked to see what was there, to say the least.

The person standing there was wearing black leather clothing, covering nearly every inch of his body. It gave him an overall punk look. What was visible though were his hands and head, both of which nearly made me scream. Instead of skin, I could see the bones of his hands, every single one of them. And the head wasn't just a head. It was a skull, the sockets of the eyes staring ominously in our direction.

The person, who Yaseika called Blaze, cracked his neck, pretty much literally because it was all bone, and gave a complete toothy grin. Except, in contrast to Natsu's usual smile, this was completely full of mirth and contempt. He spoke, his voice dark and gravely, "What's the matter sweetheart? Don't you want to say hi to your Johnny Blaze?" He cackled and a chill went down my spine. This guy was bad news, and not just in the magic way. His entire persona just screamed "CREEP" at me.

I did scream a little though when his entire body burst into flames, giving his skeletal form and even more evil look. I felt Natsu at my side in an instant, a hand on my shoulder. Somehow, it managed to calm my racing heart just a little bit. But then Natsu growled towards Blaze, making my heart jump again.

Yaseika barely even flinched, but I could sense an even harsher coldness emanating from her now more than ever before. She spoke, "I'm not your sweetheart. You are nothing to me. You are a demon from the Book of Zeref. I should have killed you before when I had the chance." At the mention of his demon heritage, I sensed Gray beginning to draw on his magic, the darker Devil Slaying Magic.

Blaze sighed overdramatically and held his chest crying out, "You wound me so! True, I am a demon, servant to Lord Zeref. He has requested that I come down here and provide him some entertainment. Besides," he looked directly at her as he said this, "You know that killing me would only add to the list." Before anybody could even ask what he meant by that, his 'eyes' changed minutely, and he chanted, "Look into my eyes, Yaseika Dragneel, daughter of Igneel." She did immediately, to everybody's surprise as he continued chanting, "Your hands have been stained by the blood of the innocent. Look into my eyes and feel their pain. Feel their sorrow. Feel all of their suffering."

At first, nothing appeared to happen until Yaseika began to whimper. None of us moved a muscle as her whimpering became louder, into gasps. She held her head in her hands and began to groan, her eye shut tightly. It snapped open and I was shocked to see that her eye was no longer purple, but was slowly being consumed by an ashy blackness, even consuming the white of her eye. Her hands left her head and hugged herself tightly, as she began to scream. I had never imagined that she would scream in pain. She just got her entire forearm bitten through and she didn't even flinch. But hearing her scream in pain now caused fear to spike in my chest.

Her screaming turned from soft to nearly bloodcurdling when Rogue broke the silence of the observers, screaming at Blaze, "Stop it! What are you doing to her?!"

Blaze's gaze shifted away from Yaseika to Rogue and the moment his gaze shifted, Yaseika fell to the ground gasping and holding her side. Perhaps I imagined it, but I thought I could see tears sliding down her face as well. This shocked me to the core. Blaze frowned at us and muttered, "Man. You guys are no fun. You guys are all goody goody two-shoes. I can't use my Penance Stare on you."

Natsu snarled and stepped in front of me asking, "What's a Penance Stare?"

Blaze chuckled and turned his 'eyes' back towards Yaseika, who was still on the ground, looking down. He said, "It is a part of my magic. Anybody that I command to look into my eyes shall experience the pain and suffering of those that the person has killed, both directly and indirectly." He sauntered over towards Yaseika and picked her up by the chin and said, "This one's got a list of people dead because of her a mile and a half long. It kills normal people." I heard everybody gasp when he shrugged, "The spell won't kill her, don't worry. I found that out many years ago when I first encountered her. But I am just doing my job." Yaseika was forced to look into Blaze's eyes again and she began to scream incessantly.

Rogue lunged towards Blaze, a wild look in his eyes screaming, "You leave her alone!" A shadow fist made contact with Blaze's skull, but he didn't even shift an inch. Instead, his skull, which had been forced lopsided by the punch simply cracked a few times back into place.

Blaze smirked at Rogue's shocked expression and said, "I won't leave alone. For you see, my job is to make her go mad."

As he spoke, Yaseika was beginning to writhe in his arms, screaming. She scared all of us by screeching, "Striker! NOO! I don't want to kill! Kill more! Kill more! IGNEEL!"

Blaze tilted his head and said, "I see. She caused the death of her own foster father as a result of her own blindness and anger. So she must feel his pain at the moment of death as well." He sighed, but he did not look away from Yaseika. He spoke to all of us, "I must make her insane for my Lord Zeref. For he says that if I do that, I will be rewarded with everything I could want, and Yaseika herself. For you see," he grinned maliciously, "Once she goes mad, she will be like clay for Lord Zeref. Clay to be molded into whatever he sees fit. She will be begging to help him end humanity and I will be able to have her."

Her screams reached their peak and I couldn't even imagine the pain that she was feeling. If what she said before was accurate, then it can be assumed that she killed hundreds, maybe even thousands, of people over the time when her mind was consumed by chaos. And adding the deaths that she may have accidentally caused, the amount of victims is uncountable. She was feeling the pain of every one of them. Yaseika did say that she couldn't die, but that didn't mean she couldn't go mad, and if she felt this pain for much longer, she definitely would. If she went mad, there was no telling what could happen.

Rogue and Natsu moved together then, faster than I had ever seen them. Rogue went after Blaze, more rage in his eyes than I had ever seen before, kicking him in the stomach now, forcing him backwards and into the dust. Surprisingly, Natsu lunged towards Yaseika, his fist colliding with her stomach. The air was forced out of her lungs and her eye fluttered before she closed it and went limp. She fell into his arms and he held her carefully.

That caused a little bit of commotion. Wendy cried out, "Natsu! What are you doing?!" Rogue began to growl towards Natsu and I thought for sure a fight was going to start.

But then he turned towards us, and I could see tears falling down his cheeks now. He croaked, "He was hurting her. So much. He needs to be in eye contact with her, so I made it so she wasn't able to look at him." His body was wracked with sobs and my heart ached at seeing him so conflicted. I knew that he had done the right thing, and as Rogue let his fighting stance down, I knew that he agreed with Natsu too.

Still, something had to be done about Blaze. He would be back any second. Erza began to bark orders, the arrow that Yaseika had given her glowing with light before vanishing. I assumed she put it in her Requip storage and she said, "Natsu, give Yaseika to Rogue. Lucy, Wendy and Carla go with Rogue to bring Yaseika to the guild hall. That is the temporary emergency infirmary. Yaseika can rest until she feels ready to fight again. Natsu. Sting. We need to keep on fighting now and take out these fodder. Look," she pointed up to the sky, and I watched as countless shadows were dropping out of the air armada, "More demons are arriving. Blaze was just the beginning. We need to help the others. Gray. I leave Blaze to you. I assume you can handle him best since he is a fire demon."

Nobody argued with her orders. They made sense and while I could tell that Natsu and Rogue were not happy about not fighting Blaze, they left quietly. I was watching Rogue with curiosity as we walked towards the guild hall. His actions regarding Yaseika were a bit suspicious for the fact that he barely knew her, but then I realized something.

Without even thinking I asked Rogue, "Rogue? Are you in love with Yaseika?"

He froze at my words and I nearly walked right into him. He held his head low and a few moments passed before he finally said, "Yaseika and I are dragon slayer mates. I do love her."

I don't know what I was expecting, but it wasn't that. I gasped and I wanted to ask him more when he coldly told me, "I'll tell you what you want to know later. Right now, I need to make sure that she is safe." With that, Wendy, Rogue, and I walked down to the guild hall in silence in order to provide a peaceful rest for Yaseika.

 **Dang this chapter was sooo long compared to my other ones but I couldn't figure out where to end it so it just kept coming out. Anyways, hope you all enjoyed this installment.**

 **Blaze is based off of the Ghost Rider. Main differences are that Blaze is a jerk and playboy and he can walk around during the day. He does not have a "human" appearance.**


	38. Chapter 38

Chapter 38: The Dragon King Arrives

 **I change POV's a lot in this chapter, and this chapter on gets significantly darker. Fair warning to you readers.**

 **NATSU POV**

I hope Yaseika's alright.

Sting and I fought together, letting out roars and attacks, taking down enemy after enemy. They didn't stand a chance against us, even the demons that had come with the second wave. Even as I fought though, I was thinking about what she had told me before things went bad:

 _You must not use that spell until the Black Dragon has been taken care of_.

I felt the power on my arm tingle, especially as I allowed my gaze to rise to face Zeref, who hadn't reacted to nearly anything that has been happening this whole time. Instead, he was simply staring down intently at the guild hall. He remained on his airship and I knew, if I wanted to, I could easily use my fire to fly up there and fight him. But her words made me feel uneasy. Something in the command she had given me felt different. It was almost like if I did defeat Zeref before Acnologia was defeated, something tremendously horrible would happen.

So, I complied with her command, for the time being. But if Zeref came down here himself looking for a fight. I would gladly give it to him. He made it sound as though I was important to him, the last time he spoke to me. I don't understand it, and I feel like he knows something that I don't. And I don't like it.

However, as a result of not going after him, I was still going pretty strong magic wise. However, it wasn't all that difficult to find fire at this point, something that didn't sit well with me. Fires were lit as a result of explosions from magic attacks, and the enemy themselves sometimes were made out of fire or something, so it was easy to refuel. But things aren't going so well all around.

The guild hall itself was still standing, and the enemy hadn't infiltrated yet, but we were slowly losing ground. The demons that had appeared with this second wave of enemy was causing a lot more problems than anticipated. We were being forced back, towards the guild hall, towards Fairy Heart.

Where were the reinforcements? We needed them now more than ever. As much as I was still going strong, I knew that things weren't going so well with the others. I wanted to help, but I couldn't be everywhere at once.

It was early evening and the battle still went on. Sting and I had separated at some point and now I was alone. I was exhausted and my body was begging for even a moment's rest. Fighting constantly was putting a strain on my body, even though I wasn't really injured. Though, I could smell a lot of tears and a lot of blood that had been spilled. I didn't know for sure who it belonged to, but I hoped that it wasn't that of my friends. I hadn't seen Lucy, Yaseika, or the others since Blaze attacked. I silently hoped that they were alright. I needed for them all to be alright. If something happened to them…I didn't think I would be able to handle it.

Just then, a deafening boom came from very close nearby, the shockwave from the explosion forcing me airborne. I managed to land on my feet, but when I looked up, my heart completely stopped in my chest.

The guild hall had been completely destroyed.

Shambles of the foundation remained, smoldering with the last remnants of the attack that had annihilated the entire structure. The emblem that had once stood proudly at the top of the hall now lay on the ground, cut cleanly in half. People were getting up inside the ruins, covered in soot and holding themselves, clearly trying to nurse wounds received from the explosive attack. I looked back towards the enemy to see that they had stopped advancing. Instead, a message appeared in the air, "Because I am feeling generous, you have one hour. One hour to gather your wounded and dead and rest."

The words made me more confused than ever, but I didn't really care. The people that had been inside of the guild hall needed help. Immediately. I rushed over towards one of the figures that I recognized as Wendy, coughing violently, struggling to breathe. Carla was nearby, unconscious and barely breathing. I gasped, "What happened?"

Wendy had difficultly speaking before she croaked, "We were all here in the infirmary, resting up. Kinana and I were running around, providing as much care as we could. I had just gotten back to where Yaseika was resting and she woke up quickly, gasping something about an explosion. She had just leapt out of bed towards Rogue and Lucy when the whole building blew." She began to cry, "Is it really gone? The guild hall?"

I could barely speak myself as I was in shock, but I nodded blankly. Wendy began to wail and she collapsed into my arms, letting all of her grief out. I could feel emotional pain of my own, all of the despair welling up inside of me like a storm before it transformed into anger.

Zeref.

He did this.

He destroyed the place that I called home.

He would pay.

Then I became aware of the screams of other guild members. One of the ones that was clearest to me was Jet wailing inconsolably towards the sky. Lying half on the ground and half in his arms was Droy, his eyes glazed over, unseeing, unreacting. His body was badly scarred with burns, almost to the point of unrecognition. He appeared to also be missing one of his limbs, although I couldn't tell for sure, as a cloth was draped over him shortly afterwards, much to Jet's despairing rage.

It was then a fear hit me and I took Wendy out of my arms, to hold her in front of me, and as calmly as I could, I asked, "Wendy. Where is Lucy?" Wendy looked up at me in confusion at first, before something shifted in her eyes to turn into shock and fear. I asked again, losing some of the calmness from before, "Wendy. Where are they? Rogue? Yaseika? Lucy?"

Wendy began to hiccup as she spoke, "I don't know." More tears fell down her face. She cried, "I don't know."

She wouldn't be able to talk to me in this condition. Reluctantly, I let her go, telling her to go and help where she could. I stood, calling out names with as much volume as I could. Yaseika. Rogue. Lucy. Happy. I couldn't smell any of them, the burning odor of the building shrouding everything. As I was searching, I saw many others that had been caught badly in the explosion. Bisca was unconscious, sporting a pretty nasty head wound while Alzack was at her side, lying down on the ground, his eyes closed. They weren't dead, but they weren't doing too well. Cana waved off Wakaba, who was trying to bandage her abdomen, where a large gash was present. Macao was quietly crying as another cloth was draped over somebody else with, I think…purple hair. It was only after a few moments that I recognized it as Kinana, the young woman who worked with us as a barmaid. With each person I saw, the more I panicked. With each passing second, I became more sure of the worst case scenario. I thought I was going to lose it until I thought I heard somebody say my name. I turned towards the sound, only to see a sight I was sure to never forget.

Lucy was unconscious, her head hanging limply and lolling around on her neck as she was being held by two people: Yaseika and Rogue. Yaseika looked completely unharmed, while Rogue definitely looked worse for wear. I rushed over towards them, as I watched Rogue stumble under carrying his own weight and half-supporting Lucy. I managed to catch and support him until he could look at me clearly.

He asked, his words slightly slurred, "Natsu?"

I cursed and said, "Rogue! What the hell happened to you?"

He looked up at me, one of his eyes almost swollen shut. He growled, but his voice wasn't quite steady, "It was an ambush. We were all sitting ducks, just wrapped up all in one place, waiting for something to come to us."

I didn't get it, "Huh? What do you mean?"

A soft voice spoke, "It means Natsu…" the voice stopped speaking to cough several times before I looked down to see that it was in fact Lucy speaking. She said, "Those airships. They knew that injured people were in here. We had no means of protecting ourselves from a sudden aerial attack. Yaseika managed to say something early enough for it to not be as bad as it could have been but…" she looked around, wincing, seeing everything that I had seen before. She began sob slightly, "She managed to protect me and Rogue, but look at Fairy Tail. Our family. It's hurt. It hurts."

Yaseika didn't to seem to have anything to say. Instead, she was staring blankly at one section of destroyed wall. She finally spoke, "We must go. The time to fight again comes soon."

 **ROGUE POV**

I agreed that it was time to fight back in the name of the destroyed guild hall, but I was overall hesitant. Even Natsu, who usually goes off fighting without thinking of consequences hesitated. The guild hall is gone. Fairy Heart is just underneath us. There are many more wounded and dead. Fairy Tail wouldn't be able to handle another onslaught of attacks. It would fall if this continued. Fairy Heart would be taken by Zeref and the dark forces would win.

Still, I figured that we had to try. Otherwise the world would fall into chaos and darkness.

I tried to let Lucy down, letting her weight off my shoulders when she flinched and whimpered in pain. I looked down at her feet to see that she was now barefoot, most likely a result of the explosion. Her left leg in particular was almost dyed in crimson. While none of the cuts were that deep, it would cause discomfort. Also, because we had let her down barefoot, her feet landed squarely in a pile of finely cut glass and splinters of wood.

Natsu immediately took her from us then, carrying her in his arms. He looked pissed at us, but otherwise completely ignored our presence. He began to ask her questions, was she in pain? Was she in discomfort? He talked to her earnestly, and in the middle of it all, she looked up at him and the look in her eyes took my breath away. She looked at him with hope, happiness, and…maybe love?

That would make sense after all, since Lucy was Natsu's mate. I've known ever since I first met them. After Natsu's reaction to Minerva's attacks, as well as what had happened following the Grand Magic Games, that much was obvious. Clearly they were not yet aware of this however, as Natsu would have probably killed me just now if he had known. But thinking of them made me look over at Yaseika, who was staring blankly at the ruins of what used to be the proud guild of Fairy Tail. Would she ever be able to look at me the same way Lucy looks at Natsu someday? I didn't know.

 **YASEIKA POV**

I know what I have to do.

I know what I have to do.

I have a plan to kill the Black Dragon. It means that I can finally complete my task. Erza won't have to use that arrow on him. But she will need to use it to kill a wild dragon.

I didn't hear his voice over the wind, but I could hear other things now, things that I've avoided hearing for so many years. Mourning. Sobbing. Despairing over the loss of those they call their loved ones. It all took me back to the time period that Blaze had resurfaced in my mind through his mental attack.

I closed my eye and flinched as images and memories of towns burning, people screaming echoed through my mind. I remembered their looks of terror as they realized what I was doing to them. Ankhseram holding his hand above me, cursing me for my foolishness and greed. Warning me of the future to come. Then at the beginning of it all, I saw Striker standing alone, his expression morphing into that of happiness at my presence. He ran towards me and I felt joy for a brief moment. I reached out, to pet his soft fur, to bring him as a companion, but the moment that I touched him, a bolt of black exited my fingertips and entered Striker's body, causing him to collapse in a silent death…

I snapped my eye open again. I can't be thinking about moments of the past now. I have to focus.

Just then, I could hear the enemy rallying themselves up again and I was confused, but then I only listened for a moment before recognizing what was happening. I could hear more voices from all sides of here, all of them triumphantly calling out guild hall names: Sabertooth, Lamia Scale, Blue Pegasus, Crime Sorcière, etc. These were the people that Natsu and the others had needed only a little while ago.

I could see Natsu and Rogue relax slightly as they realized that the new people outside were not our enemy, but our…allies. The people outside may be their friends, but they certainly aren't mine. They and everybody around me are merely pawns, people I can manipulate towards finishing my goals. I will not have anybody I can call a friend.

Although, I suppose the one person I considered a friend was that ghost, Mavis. She was currently standing tall near the entrance, well, now more an archway than an entrance, trying to get people's morale up. I felt something very violent inside of me react when she revealed that she once loved Zeref. How can she possibly love somebody like him? He has killed. He is mad.

But couldn't I say the same about myself?

While I have not been alive as long as he has, the number of lives I have taken is…disturbing. Even now, I can feel my mind in constant conflict with itself. I am slowly going mad. The carnage I have caused…it destroys my sense of sanity. What is true sanity at this point anyways? Aren't we all at least a little bit mad?

Perhaps that is why I will not allow myself to love or to be loved. I don't deserve it.

Just then, as the fight restarted outside, I heard a very faint voice from far away. He whispered promises of destruction and death. I felt my eye dilate in response and I dashed towards the open area of the battle. It was time. I would face him now.

 **LUCY POV**

I watched Yaseika run off somewhere, and it was only a few moments later that I felt Natsu tense. He laid me down on a nearby post and I gasped as faint pain laced itself through my lower body. I looked up at him only to find my breath taken away at his intense expression. While there was a look of determination, the fear that was present in his whole demeanor reminded me of when…

"No way." I gasped. The last time Natsu looked this panicked, it was right before…

I heard the noise outside rise to a dull roar. I could hear somebody outside, Lyon I think, shout about some kind of new enemy, one no one had ever seen before.

With difficulty, the remaining three of us stumbled outside to see that the entire environment appeared as though a natural disaster had whipped through the area. Much of the wildlife that had surrounded the guild hall had been destroyed, many of the buildings demolished. The sky was a deep crimson blended with orange, as the sun lowered in the sky. Ashes were ever-present in the air and the world seemed to turn gray. The once beautiful city of Magnolia had once again reverted back to the state it was in following the Tartaros incident.

Still, what shocked us the most was that both the light guilds and the enemy were both retreating in the wake of an unfamiliar person. This person had cascading white hair, reminiscent of Gajeel's, his skin covered in blue foreign patterns. His torso was mostly uncovered, only a black cloak covering part of him. A necklace with blue teeth hung from his neck, giving his appearance a more native wile look. What was the most shocking though were his eyes. They were a piercing blue, paler than I had ever seen before.

He took a single step forward and Natsu immediately stiffened and snarled, pulling me behind him. The other dragon slayers likewise reacted. Sting crouched low to the ground, his eyes focused upon this stranger. Wendy looked terrified, but she clearly was trying to be strong. Gajeel pulled Levy behind him, his larger body thoroughly protected her own petite one. Cobra and Laxus looked furious and each went into a fighting stance. Rogue's eyes simply flickered over towards where Yaseika was standing, who hadn't reacted at all. Only recently do I realize the meaning behind his gaze. Before the guild hall blew up, he had further explained to me his feelings for Yaseika. He talked about how they were similar, with regards to their own personal dark sides, and how he wanted nothing more to help her. When he had finished speaking, I didn't have the heart to tell him what I knew. That Yaseika, the girl he loved, might go mad and rampage as a dragon. That she might die.

Natsu's eyes had dilated, rage filling them more than I had ever seen before. Flames seemed to be flickering behind his dark eyes and his body began to heat up.

He growled, so low that I could barely hear him, "That's him. That's Acnologia."

I let out a gasp. _This…this was Acnologia? I thought…I thought…he was a dragon?_

Natsu took a protective crouch in front of me and said, "He might not look like it, but that's him. I don't ever forget a smell."

I looked past him towards the person that was called Acnologia, only to see him staring at us lazily. He murmured, "Only eight." _Huh?_ _What does that mean?_ "Only eight dragon slayers remain until the complete and utter annihilation of dragons." He pointed towards Yaseika, who was standing nearby, her expression unreadable and he declared, "You shall be the first to die."

Her hair was now covering her entire face, so I had no idea what she could be thinking. She merely acknowledged his words by pulling off her bracelet, the band transforming into the slender bow, a black tipped arrow notched and ready to fire. She murmured, possibly to us or possibly to herself, "I will kill you. This is the one promise I will keep. I will kill you." She raised her head up and I gasped. I had never seen her so angry before, but what shocked me was her eye. It was shifting between colors. Purple. Yellow. Red. Those colors flickered in her eye before turned a dark orange, a seemingly perfect combination of those three colors. A roar ripping from her throat, she wildly lunged towards Acnologia, who had made no movements up until Yaseika attacked.

It felt as though a shock jolted its way through my entire body. This was it. This was what the Book of Requirement was talking about. This is what Carla saw in her vision. Then I remembered what happened towards the end of the vision, END rising from his book. Whatever happened in Carla's vision is beginning to come true. We have to stop it. We have to change the future that is to come, or we are all going to die!

 **So there's still "one" more major secret that remains to be told about Yaseika. If you are clever enough, you may already know what I'm referring to. I have given many hints, both in this chapter and throughout the story as to what the final part of Yaseika. I have also made reference to what may happen at the conclusion of this story. But if you don't get it, don't worry. I will give a full explanation Part 2 in a few chapters.**

 **I also still plan to do the multiple chapter ending options. I'll make it clear when the different endings start. There are still a couple of chapters left before that happens.**

 **So I hope you enjoyed this installment. How will Yaseika fare against Acnologia? Will Lucy and the others be able to avert fate? Will RoguexYaseika become canon in my story? Tune in next week to find out in the next chapter of "The Fire Dragon Heiress".**


	39. Chapter 39

**I stink at writing fight scenes so I apologize if this is unclear to anybody. I may be vague simply because I don't have any skill at writing in detail how they fight. So I leave that up to your interpretation.**

Chapter 39: Repeat

 **YASEIKA POV**

This was it.

This was it.

The moment that I have been waiting for for all this time. Acnologia was here in front of me. I could finally confront him. Finish what I started years ago. I wouldn't let what happened last time happen now. I could sense other beings surrounding me, but they were no threat. All I could see was him.

The sun was beginning to set now. I lunged forward towards him, only for his right arm to swipe up, to block my leg that had been coming down in a diagonal swipe. The force of the movement caused his cloak to fly up slightly, showing that under it, he was missing an arm. The one that Igneel had ripped from him a year ago. I remembered Igneel shoving me out of the way of Acnologia's path, taking the blow meant for me himself…

I refocused myself. I need to concentrate. I need to do this.

I leapt back, feeling tingles in my leg from the attack. As I flipped back, I let an arrow fly towards his feet, exploding into a blob of darkness, trapping Acnologia's feet. He simply shrugged and swiped his arm down, thoroughly knocking away the shadows that were trying to consume him. The bow transformed back into a bracelet and instead, I unsheathed my two swords. In a complex technique, I spun towards him, reminiscent of a tornado of death.

Acnologia raised his arm again and he blocked the blades, both of them shattering upon contact with his forearm, now covered in thick black scales. Before my eyes, I watched him grow in size, his entire body covering itself with scales and his eyes turn white, as he transformed into the dragon form that was significantly more powerful.

Of course. Unlike me, he cannot remain within the Second Dragon Force Form. He only has a human form and a dragon form. But unlike me, he has control of his transformations. If I were to take off my eyepatch right now, I would be reverted into the demon-like form of Second Dragon Force. I didn't want to have to use it, but it looked like I was running out of time to delay him. I may have to play that card in order to keep him further occupied until I can go through with my plan.

He looked bored with me, and if anything, that just made me angrier. I didn't usually allow myself to feel this much, but as long as I kept it focused on him, it should be fine. It should be fine.

There was a faint warm presence at my side. Even though I knew nothing was visible there, I knew what it was. From Titania's story about why the people captured me in Faunta, I only just recently managed to figure it out. I could not see him, but I could sense Striker standing by my side. Just like how the Black Wizard can sense Mavis but cannot see or hear her. Striker was by me, providing me with his presence and I recognized only last night just how long he has been by my side, visible to others at times, but never to me.

Please Striker. Give me strength.

 **LUCY POV**

Watching Acnologia transform right before my eyes was terrifying. Not just because of his large form and threatening demeanor, but also because we currently had no means of defending against something like him.

As of now, no one else engaged in combat alongside Yaseika, as when any of the dragon slayers attempted to, they were immediately waved aside by Yaseika. The enemy from Alvarez had retreated back up into their ships, choosing to watch this fight rather than engage in it. The look in Yaseika's eye was even more intimidating than I can even describe.

Something in her expression seemed to shift minutely and she stood up tall, standing up against the towering form of Acnologia. He roared, not with magic, but merely his voice, and I had to fight the urge to run away. It was so loud, it felt as though my eardrums would shatter. I looked up at Natsu to see him covering his ears, a look of pain on his face. That's right. His heightened hearing can't be beneficial right now for him. Yaseika did not even flinch. Instead, she grabbed the eyepatch on her face and I realized what she was doing just milliseconds before she did it.

The black cloth with the symbol on it was ripped off of her face, landing softly on the ground. Yaseika's multicolored eyes widened and she immediately let out a bloodcurdling roar to the heavens, her entire body beginning to change. Red heated scales formed, consuming all of her human tan skin. Rather than growing taller though when she had transformed into a dragon, she remained about the same size as before, fire erupting around her, encasing her within a column of flame, before the flame formed into the massive form of a dragon. Her clothing began to burn and tear, giving her a ragged appearance, and leave space for something I hadn't expected. From her back, two wings grew out of her back, their slender form tentatively flapping. Her teeth lengthened and sharpened, pointed and curved horns burst out of Yaseika's head. Her hands transformed into sharpened talons, which tightly clenched into fists. Her hair dyed itself further red, still only a small section of blue remained. Sometime during this transformation, she must have closed her eyes, as they now flashed open, one a crystal purple and the other a burning yellow, both dilated fully into that of a reptile. A dragon. Even though she couldn't see out of the yellow eye, the determination and…relief…I saw in her expression were evident.

I could easily see how she could be mistaken for a demon. There was no evidence of her human roots. She looked like a violent fire-breathing dragon that was the shape and size of a human. The magic power coming from her was intense, violent. But it was familiar all the same. It was vaguely reminiscent of Natsu's magic. Yet at the same time, it was very different. It felt rough, uncontrolled, and dangerous, something I had never felt from Natsu's magic before.

So this was Second Dragon Force.

The true day form of Yaseika Dragneel.

 **YASEIKA POV**

Home.

This feels right. This feels natural.

True, I don't look human. People will be terrified of me again. But feeling the flames lick across my body comfortingly made it all worth it. I had missed this feeling. I had my senses back. Because my magic had been locked away, all of the enhanced senses that came with it went away too. I could hear, smell, and see better than I ever could in my bare human form. Of course I regained my ability to use my magic. Still, I could feel madness pulling at my mind, the natural feral nature of a dragon slowly siphoning away the last of my human senses. But there was a sense of calm, more so than I ever felt in this form.

I…enjoyed being in this form.

No human emotions or connections to distract me. To cause physical or emotional pain. Only an empty shell that can deliver a violent revenge should it be provoked.

Acnologia let a sound rumble through his torso, allowing me to refocus on him. Beyond him, I could sense humans and I tensed. They hurt us before. They don't trust us.

Forget about that for now. Fight the Black Dragon. Fulfill the future that waits for you.

Yes. My future to defeat Acnologia. But I am to die as well. Whether it is by the force of Acnologia himself, or by the humans that ally themselves by me, I cannot tell. But they do have the means of killing me. I can sense it. From the young man with hair the color of salmon and the young woman with hair the vibrant color of a red sunrise. I would deal with that threat later. First, I must take care of Acnologia.

I took a single step forward, fire exploding slightly at my feet. I could hear heartbeats quicken, smaller breathes taken by those around me observing this fight. With speed I hadn't possessed fully for some time, I propelled myself forward and up into the air, preparing to land attacks on Acnologia.

 **ROGUE POV**

I hadn't as of yet ever seen Yaseika truly in action. I had seen her during the Tartaros incident, but she didn't use any magic. Back then, she was less willing to access her magic. According to the Fairy Tail members, she had released some of her power while on a place called Tenrou Island. While they didn't go into too much detail about the place, they said that the magic that she had released was immense to say the least. It looked like I was going to see her first hand.

Even though one of my eyes had swollen shut, I could watch her shift into Second Dragon Force. Watching her willingly transform in front of me caused pain and admiration to flutter within me. Admiration because it had to take major courage, or stupidity, to give up something like her human form, something that she had craved for years, in order to complete her lifelong goal. But there was pain too. She was desperate, too willing to go to such extremes. None of the other dragon slayers even attempted to enter Dragon Force unless it was absolutely necessary. For her to forcibly transform so early into the battle, it was unsettling.

Plus, I noticed that her hair had further dyed red. The Yaseika that I was attempting to get to know was dying with each passing minute, being replaced by a feral and mad creature. True, it would still be Yaseika. But would she be able to recognize any of us? Things weren't looking good for her.

She jumped up into the air, her wings extending to support her in flight. She neared Acnologia, only to cry out, "Fire Dragon…" Her wings flapped powerfully, as did her raised arms, fire arching in waves towards the Black Dragon, "Wing Attack!" The spell hit dead on Acnologia's head, but he barely even flinched. Before he could do anything however, she flitted around to the other side of him. She was moving so fast, I could barely even follow what she was doing. She was moving with an onslaught of attacks of incredible magical power. I had never seen anything like it.

Roars. Iron Fists. Talons. Anything available to her, she used.

After a few minutes though, it was clear that Acnologia was only minimally affected. He swiped his arm down just as she passed in front of him, slamming her face first into the ground. I could hear the wind get knocked out of her and I noticed a thin trail of blood sliding out of her mouth. She remained trapped under his claw and he was not relieving of any of the pressure. Instead, he kept on pushing, crushing her body.

I couldn't stand by any longer. I lunged forward. Even if I couldn't beat him, maybe I could help her escape.

It appeared that I wasn't the only one with that idea.

All of the dragon slayers, even Cobra, moved together as one entity towards Acnologia, each charging up our respective attacks. Together, our magic came together as one gigantic mass, hurtling towards the Black Dragon. It made contact, a brilliant explosion following afterwards with a yell of pain from Acnologia. It appeared to have done some more damage, as he stumbled backwards, releasing his hold on Yaseika.

She slowly rose from the ground, holding her head with one hand. I ran towards her only for her to raise her hand up towards me in a "stop" motion. Her eyes were clear, but her body seemed to be shimmering. Her eyes were wide and it was only then that I noticed something. I looked off in the distance to see that the sun was dangerously close to setting. Yaseika was nearly set to complete her transformation into a full-fledged dragon. While her eyes were wide, I noticed determination and acceptance in her expression.

 _So that was her plan after all…_ She had implied when she said that she wanted to face Acnologia alone that she had some kind of strategy. But I hadn't imagined that it would be something like this. As much as I wanted to go to her and support her, the sun began to disappear. Yaseika's eyes seemed to sharpen, and she swiped her hand towards me, an arc of fire accompanying it. I raised my hands up to block the attack, only to realize that this fire didn't burn. Instead, it just forced me backwards by several feet. When I felt stopped on solid ground again, I lowered my hands to see Yaseika looking up at Acnologia, her hands held out at full wingspan. Although I guess I couldn't say wingspan as she already had wings that surpassed that length. She began to shimmer with magical red energy, just like the last time, but something felt wrong. The power associated with the transformation just wasn't there.

When the dust cleared, Yaseika was still standing there, arms outstretched, but she was still in her Second Dragon Force form. A look of confusion crossed her face before she lowered her arms to look at her curved talons. She spoke quietly, but I could still hear her words, "What's happening? Why can't I…?" She looked up at the sky and cried out. I looked too, but I didn't know what she was agitated about. To be honest, I would have rather stared in wonder at the night sky had we not been in a life-or-death situation. Countless stars was visible, forming many of the constellations. The night sky was a beautiful dark blue and at the center of it all was a brilliant full moon. It was so big and bright.

Yaseika screeched, "It can't be…! A blue moon?!" _Wh_ _at's the matter with a blue moon? Does it have something to do with her magic?_ She screeched as she lunged towards Acnologia again, but he appeared bored with her and let out a dragon roar, the blue magic immediately surrounding Yaseika. I cried out for her, as she let out a strangled scream. When the light finally died down, Yaseika was still standing, albeit barely. Smoke curled off of the edges of her clothing and she looked badly bruised. If I recalled correctly, that was one part of the attack that killed her foster father Igneel. She didn't look like she was about to die, but she didn't look so good either.

 **YASEIKA POV**

This isn't good.

It is the night of a blue moon. Did you plan for this to happen, Zeref? Did you purposefully make your attack plan knowing that I could not face Acnologia in this state? As soon, as I took care of the Black Dragon, he and his brother END were next. Something in my mind told me to solely focus on Acnologia for now, that Zeref and END were of no threat to me. I didn't understand it, but I chose to do nothing about it. I focused on the blaring problem at hand: the blue moon.

A blue moon is a full moon that occurs at the end of the month, the second that occurs in a particular month. They are uncommon, and there are legends surrounding the magical potential on the night of the blue moon. For reasons I cannot explain, on the night of a blue moon, which occurs about once every three years or so, the dragon refuses to emerge. Normally, it would overtake my mind and body directly after sunset, but for whatever reason, it did not willingly come out when there was a blue moon in the sky.

Acnologia began to taunt me then sneering, "What's the matter? Little dragon can't figure out how to transform? That's unfortunate. No one here is my equal! I am the only true dragon slayer! Human and dragon!"

That clinched it. If my dragon didn't come out willingly, then I would force it to. And I know just the thing to do to trigger it.

I had sworn to myself that I would never do this again, even if I didn't have any other choice. Using it once has already destroyed me, using it again can cause unimaginable consequences.

But I've already broken most of my promises. What's one more?

Besides, I know from _him_ that if I do this, the dragon will come out, only this time, I will disappear completely. No dual control. Just a wild dragon.

It is just like the beginning, isn't it? I do this and I transform. It's like the past is beginning to repeat itself.

Before I got into the necessary stance, memories began flickering through my mind, things that I thought I had long forgotten. Back to the time with Igneel, Striker, and Natsu. One memory that popped out to me was when I left Igneel's cave for the last time. I had pressed my forehead against Natsu's, as he told me that if I went missing he would search and follow me to the ends of Earthland for me, like we had promised each other.

 _Natsu…what I am about to do…you cannot follow me. Someday, I hope that you will understand. I'm sorry. I c_ _an only have faith that while the past will repeat itself, you will create a bright future for yourself and those you call your comrades. I only hope that you are strong enough to make your final choice. And I hope that you can forgive me for all of my deception._

 _Striker…Igneel…please…I know I pro_ _bably don't deserve it. But_ _I beg of you…ple_ _ase_ _give me strength…give me the will to m_ _ake this choice yet again._

 **LUCY POV**

Yaseika had been badly beaten right before my eyes. She was still standing, but something in her expression changed from anger, to desperation, finally to calm acceptance. I didn't know why she hadn't transformed, but she said something about a blue moon. While I didn't understand it, things weren't looking good for her or for us. If she couldn't transform, there was very little resistance we could put up against Acnologia.

She looked up at Acnologia, before eventually dropping into an unfamiliar stance. Most of the spells she had used up until now were familiar, them being ones I had seen from Natsu before. Some of the ones I hadn't recognized were like secondary/combo versions of the "base" spells. But this one was completely different. She cupped her hands together and held them out in front of her, her right hand under her left, creating a small open circle. Power began to collect around her, forming a large magic circle underneath her.

She began to chant, her voice amplified to the volume of ten people, "I call upon my predecessors, dragons and slayers alike! Lend me your power for this final strike! Help me invoke my final spell!" She began to glow with the power of her magic as her words were spoken.

"Final spell?" I heard Natsu ask. I was a bit confused too. Did she expect to defeat Acnologia with this single attack? Then I remembered things that Yaseika had said up until now.

 _I am the only dragon slayer that stands a chance against Acnologia._

 _I alone have a chance to defeat him. For he is not only a dragon, but also a dragon slayer, and a man. That is what makes him more powerful than the other dragons._

 _Any magic that powerful comes at a terrible price._

Finally, I remembered what Acnologia had just said,

" _No one here is my equal! I am the only true dragon slayer! Hum_ _an and dragon!_ _"_

"No way." I murmured. It just wasn't possible. She couldn't be…could she?

Yaseika swept her wings upward, propelling her straight into the air. She cried out, "Dragon Slayer…" she separated her hands, "Forbidden Art!"

She was! She was going to force herself to become like Acnologia, to become his equal. Yaseika had said that if she used Dragon Slayer magic again, she would lose herself. Using something like a Dragon Slayer Forbidden Art can be catastrophic in this situation! She was going to lose herself, making the premonition I had been hearing about come true.

I wanted to move forward, to try and stop her, but my leg wasn't allowing me to go anywhere without any help.

I was going to cry out in warning when her entire body continued to glow brightly as she screamed, "FLAME SOUL!" She brought her hands back together in a powerful clap.

With that, the bright flames that had been surrounding her grew even hotter. I cried out as I felt it against my skin slightly, but Natsu stepped in front of me, blocking me from the majority of the heat. From behind him, I watched Yaseika's body be consumed by these flames. Even though the flames surrounded her completely, I could still see some of her features. Such as, watching the rest of her hair turn blood red, the last of the blue consumed. Her clothes were burning away, her entire body slowly fading into the fire itself. I heard a gasp and I turned to the side to see Gray standing there, his eyes wide in shock. He was murmuring, and I managed to catch something about Ur and Deliora and Iced Shell. Was this what he watched happen to his master as she turned into ice? Except this time, now Yaseika's body seemed to be merging with the fire itself, disappearing before our very eyes. Just as her head and face seemed to break off into flames, the fire suddenly exploded and undulated into a sharp column. I didn't see anything else happen, but clearly Acnologia had, as he began to straighten and back up slightly.

He gasped, "No way…this can't be…?!"

What? Just then the fire all condensed into a single spot, no bigger than my fist before exploding yet again, producing waves of flame that raced towards us, I cried out, but as the flames collided, I realized that it didn't burn. I relaxed slightly and allowed myself to step up to Natsu's side. I heard a strangled roar of pain and realized that Acnologia had somehow been hurt by the flames.

He snarled in anger as he swung his wings around, dissipating the flames and facing his new opponent. It was Yaseika, but now she was in her dragon form. She was a little smaller than Acnologia in comparison, but she towered over the rest of us in height and in bulk.

But something didn't feel right about the whole situation. I could sense a darker and more sinister aura emanating from Yaseika. For a brief moment, from Acnologia, I sensed fear. She had transformed, but none of her scales were sparkling blue anymore. Instead, it was just a pure dark red, very reminiscent of Igneel. I gasped aloud, as did many other guild members as they noticed this change.

Yaseika briefly turned towards us and let out a loud growl. With a gasp, I realized what else was different. Before when I had watched her transform, I could see part of her human half still residing inside of the dragon form. Now though, it was gone, as I watched her two yellow eyes regard me with hate and contempt in them. There was no recognition of any of us either.

She swiped towards the light guild members still on the ground, her fiery fist promising pain and death. If it weren't for the slayers, dragon, god, and devil alike swiping back at her, we would have all been flattened. Yaseika let out a powerful roar, fire ascending high into the heavens, higher than I had even imagined. Finally, she seemed to recognize Acnologia's presence. She lowered herself to the ground, before propelling herself forward, colliding hard into Acnologia's torso.

It was what Yaseika herself, as well as the rest of us, had feared for the most. Her purple eye had completely turned yellow. Her skin turned to scales. Her hair turned red. Yaseika…the human being that I had come to know, the one who proclaimed herself as Natsu's sister was gone. Even the dragon Yaseika that I had feared last night was gone. The Yaseika in front of me now was one I had never seen before, one that terrified me as much as Acnologia and Zeref themselves. Before, she wanted to toy with us. Now, only the desire for destruction was present in those terrifying eyes.

The Yaseika Dragneel that I know is dead. It was then that I remembered the words of the Book of Requirement, _"Yaseika Dragneel will perish in the upcoming fight."_ Was this what it was referring to? Or did it actually mean that she was going to die too? Watching her force herself into a feral state was heart wrenching, but if she actually died, I didn't know what was going to happen. I looked briefly towards Natsu, whose expression was shadowed. Just barely though, I could make out a line of tears streaming down his face. His fists were clenched together, fire curling within them. I wished I could do something, but with my leg as it is and this pretty much hopeless situation, I had no idea how I could help.

I shifted my gaze past Natsu down to Rogue. His expression looked mournful and without hope. We had talked briefly about him and Yaseika, before the building blew up. He told me how he had felt when he was around her, how everything seemed to be right when it was just the two of them talking. He explained the concept of mates to me, but when I asked about other dragon slayer mates, he seemed to want to avoid the question. Still, there was the instance back at the hospital when Yaseika briefly went feral and when she shifted into her dragon form. She had seemed calmer around him, more willing to listen to reason. Up until now, she had kept him out of the way, as he explained what had happened just yesterday between them in the clearing. She was trying to protect him from herself. But with her casting of the Forbidden Art, she had sealed her fate. She wasn't even human anymore.

The other parts of Yaseika had been burned away by the Forbidden Art, releasing a wild creature that had no memory of us, of her past. Nothing at all. There was no possible future with Rogue. There was no possible future as Natsu's sister. All of that was gone in the blink of an eye.


	40. Chapter 40

**Again, as I said in the last chapter, I stink at writing combat sequences. As a result of that, the fight may appear to be waaaaay shorter than it would actually be. I understand that Acnologia is a really powerful opponent and in actual Fairy Tail story, he's probably going to take several chapters to defeat. I've tried to portray Yaseika in a similar fashion. But here, this fight won't last for very long. Sorry in advance.**

Chapter 40: The Fall of the Dragon

 **YASEIKA POV**

Destroy mankind. Destroy everything.

Kill everybody. Kill every living thing.

I'm going to kill Acnologia. I'm going to kill Acnologia.

There was nothing stopping me now. Nothing but a lust for death and destruction shrouded my mind now.

Even though all I could see was Acnologia, I sensed others, beings that I feared. Humans with magical power. Humans with power are foolish, too prideful. I sensed Zeref nearby, and even closer, I could feel him. END. He presented a threat to me. I must destroy him too. I must destroy everybody. But first, Acnologia will be dealt with.

 **LUCY POV**

I held my right hand against my heart, feeling it jump at the fight I was observing. I vaguely remembered how Yaseika had looked when she had fought against Acnologia before, alongside Igneel. Then, she did use powerful attacks, but there was a grace to it. There was strategy and almost beauty in the way she attacked. Now, while I suppose there was a kind of beauty, it was like watching a completely different being. She was now wild, and while I could see contemplation in her eyes, she moved without mercy or restraint.

Yaseika lunged for Acnologia, her head colliding with his abdomen, knocking the wind out of him. From there, Acnologia flapped his wings strongly, taking to the skies. With a loud snarl, Yaseika followed him, flying above him. She raised her right arm up and slammed downward, hitting Acnologia to the ground. He landed with a bang, causing dust and debris to fly everywhere. Yaseika zoomed to the ground, pummeling her whole body weight into him. Acnologia let out a loud yell and forced Yaseika off of him. He took to the skies yet again, flying higher than before.

Yaseika stood up on her hind legs and puffed out her chest. Up above, I could see Acnologia beginning to inhale deeply. Yaseika, from the ground raised her head up to the sky, her mouth open wide, releasing a brilliant Fire Dragon Roar. At the same time, Acnologia himself released a Dragon's Roar. Blue magic combined with the red fire, creating a dazzling display of explosive magic power. I had to hold my arms up in front of my face, in a feeble attempt to protect myself from the heat that accompanied the attack.

When the power finally faded away, I heard rather than saw Yaseika leap from the ground again, racing towards Acnologia in the sky. Her teeth were bared and she moved with lightning speed. It was clear that she meant to bite him somewhere, possibly tear off another limb. He seemed to recognize that as well and moved just out of the way of the path of her teeth.

But suddenly, as he flew only a few feet away, she reached her left arm out, encasing it with flame. It collided with Acnologia's torso, taking a small chunk out of his side. He roared in pain, and extended his claw, swiping down at Yaseika's shoulder. She managed to cover the shoulder in thin layer of flame just before he connected with it, acting as a shield of sorts, but it didn't stop the momentum associated with the blow. She plummeted towards the ground, just barely managing to flap her wings enough before hitting the ground. She cupped a claw up to her shoulder, and I gasped. It was subtle, but I could see the dark red liquid seeping in between some of the lighter red scales. I also noticed that despite being a dragon, the Fairy Tail guild mark still stood out darkly in black. Fire surrounded the wound and a moment later, I noticed that it had been cauterized.

Acnologia chuckled darkly, as he moved to the same height as Yaseika. I noticed that despite the wound she had inflicted upon him, it did not appear to do as much damage as it had initially appeared. He sneered at her, "You may be able to fight. And I can see you have been practicing in that form. But you can't beat me." He raised his one arm above his head and magic power began to gather there. He cried out, "I am the reaper of dragon souls! I will steal your soul and watch you wither and die! Just like Igneel!" A magic circle appeared, and I shivered at the sight of it. It was enormous.

Yaseika let out a snarl, and tried flying towards Acnologia to stop him, but her shoulder wound must have been worse that I could see because she raised the arm up and convulsed, tumbling down to the ground with a thump. Acnologia took advantage of this and pinned Yaseika beneath his body. His white eyes were filled with mirth and glee, as his arm came down onto Yaseika's chest. Both beings began to glow as Yaseika struggled against him relentlessly. She couldn't do anything. She was trapped.

"NOOOO! YASEIKA!" I turned towards the voice to see Rogue screaming towards Acnologia. But before anybody could do anything, the light settled. When the dust cleared, I could see Acnologia still on top of Yaseika, whose eyes were now closed. She wasn't moving either. The Fairy Tail mark on her shoulder began to shimmer and before my eyes, it erased itself from her scales.

A silence fell around us as we realized what this meant. Yaseika…she was…she couldn't be. I thought she said she couldn't die?! Natsu's body began to heat up beside me and I was forced to step away. The expression on his face was murderous, and for the first time ever, I felt afraid of Natsu. I knew he wouldn't do anything to me, but I feared for anybody who dared to fight him now. I could hear screams and people crying. Even though she had lost herself to the dragon, she was our last hope. Our last chance for defeating Acnologia. I have faith in Natsu's ability, but I didn't believe he could take on both Zeref and Acnologia, even though that appears to be what is going to have to happen now. There is no other option.

I was looking at Yaseika's body, despair gathering in my chest. Just as I let a few tears flow, I noticed a subtle movement. I hiccupped as the tears stopped coming. I watched more carefully, and now I could definitely see it. Yaseika's sharpened claw twitched. I gasped just as Yaseika's yellow eyes snapped open. She used the element of surprise, managing to dislodge Acnologia from on top of her. She stood on all four of her legs, a glimmer of a smirk on her face. Before I could even blink, Yaseika used her good arm to slash down upon Acnologia's face. He let out a yell of pain. She had marked him similarly to how he had attacked her years before. There were claw marks stretching all across his face, dipping into his eye which now was just a bloody socket. The shock on Acnologia's expression was evident.

He roared, "How is this possible? I took away your dragon soul!"

Yaseika let out a mirthless laugh and spoke coolly, "I am your equal Acnologia. You do not have a true dragon soul. Your spell only works for stealing dragon souls. You don't have one. You are human with a dragon's form and mind. Thus, I do not either." She took to the sky again, fire enveloping her. She shouted, her eyes narrowing, "I merely allowed you to weaken yourself. I cannot be killed, not by you, not by anyone. Allow me to continue on with your legacy as the true dragon soul reaper!"

She had just contradicted herself in her one exclamation, but I couldn't find any words to react. Instead, I watched as her entire body erupted with fire and she flew down towards the ground, her teeth baring. Just above Acnologia, she began to spin around in the air, her wings extended. She became like a firestorm drill, and without knowing the context around it, I would have considered it to be breathtaking. She collided with the Black Dragon on the ground, who was looking up at Yaseika in awe and in fear. The sound of colliding bodies was harsh on my ears.

The wind picked up and eventually died away. When I could see again, I saw Yaseika standing over Acnologia, whose eyes were wide, but unmoving. His entire body had been cut in half, hamburger style, as a result of that last attack. Yaseika was breathing heavily, her body badly bruised and bleeding in places. Her shoulder wound appeared to have reopened, and she noticeably flinched when she put weight on it. Blood was dripping down from her mouth, clearly that of Acnologia. Finally, something seemed to snap in her eyes and she raised her head back to the sky and let out a resounding roar.

Yaseika was victorious. She managed to kill the Black Dragon of the Apocalypse. But when Yaseika lowered her head and looked down at us with suspicious and cold eyes, it was then that I wondered. Was the sacrifice that Yaseika made truly worth it? What if she went mad on us too? Would she become like Acnologia? What could we possibly do now?


	41. Chapter 41

**So this is another really long chapter since I couldn't find a good place to cut it. Hope you all enjoy!**

Chapter 41: Transformation

 **YASEIKA POV**

My heart thudded in my chest, my entire body humming with glee at my latest kill. I was free. Finally. After all of this time. I embraced my power gratefully and I allowed myself to relax, only for a moment. I put weight on my right arm, wincing as I felt the wound Acnologia had inflicted on me fester. He had gotten me pretty effectively. I didn't know what to do. Without somebody like Grandeeney, there wasn't really any feasible way for the arm to be saved.

I sensed other beings surrounding me now, smaller creatures. My lust for death currently satisfied, I felt no need to kill them, but I went on alert. I could smell various magics and weapons, even those that mimic my own.

I turned towards the sound of movement, watching as an elderly human man approached me. He had a very tiny stature, but one sniff of him and I could tell that he was way more powerful than he looked. His magic was literally seeping out through his body. Even so, I noticed that he approached with extreme caution. Finally, he asked me, "Yaseika?"

Yaseika? Who was that? I didn't know anybody by that name. I didn't move or speak to this man. He seemed to eventually recognize that and then asked what I presumed to be a follow-up question, "Yaseika, do you understand me?"

I didn't understand anything, even if there was something for me to understand. I answered, "What is it that this 'Yaseika' you speak of supposed to understand?" I moved myself lower to the ground, so I could look at him more closely.

At my answer, I heard murmurs from the other humans surround me. I could still sense Zeref and his brother and creation END, but they did not concern me for the moment. Then a black-haired young man ran up beside the old man. His hair covered half of his face, but a red-colored eye looked at me with…despair. Emotional pain. He vaguely reminded me of somebody but who was it?

He spoke, anxiety lacing his tone, "You mean you don't remember?" Remember? Remember what? Instead, I focused on myself as pain ripped through my body. I looked down at my shoulder wound and swore to myself. My last attack on Acnologia had done a number on my shoulder. Blood was seeping more readily out of the wound and I prepared myself to cauterize it.

Just then, a tiny human girl approached me, worry in her eyes. She had dark blue hair, and something about her seemed familiar too. Her name escaped my memory. It was so close…but I couldn't remember it. She cried out, "Your shoulder is in pretty bad shape. Let me help you!" A blue glow came to her fingertips and instinctively I snarled. I approached her suddenly, causing her to let out a weak "eek!" in response. She was no more than a foot away from my snout, and I stared her down coolly.

I growled, "Where did you learn that magic?"

I heard others cry out "Wendy!", but the girl in front of me seemed to calm herself down. She looked back at me with unafraid eyes and said, "You should know Yaseika. I told you once before."

I retreated back up and took a step back. This girl impressed me. Intrigued me. I spoke, a dangerous undertone to my voice, "I do not know why you call me this 'Yaseika' person, but I suggest that you answer my question before I lose my temper." Even though it caused me a bit of pain, I flapped my wings menacingly.

She barely even flinched at my action. Instead, I watched as another young girl with long and thick blonde hair approach her and whisper in her ear, "Answer her questions for now. Keep her occupied while we try to figure out what happened exactly." I could not sense any magic or life force from her at all. She was a walking spirit. These people interest me. The dead, the living, and these dragon slayers all working together. I must watch and figure out what their gain is. But I must stay on guard. I won't allow myself to be hurt by these people.

The blue-haired one, Wendy I believe, approached again, albeit this time much more slowly. She spoke loud and clearly stating, "I will answer your question if you promise to answer one of mine."

I scoffed, smoke coming from my throat. I exclaimed, "Why on earth should I make that deal with you? You are of no threat to me. I have no desire to answer any of your questions. I should just kill you now and be done with it." I heard gasps from around me. I didn't intend to kill the girl, but I raised my left arm up, encasing it in flame, and threw it towards the girl.

"YASEIKA STOP!"

I heard a scream from nearby, as I felt my fisted talon collide with something. I raised my hand up to see the black-haired man from before, creating a shield around Wendy out of black shadow. The shield broke apart as I watched the shadow surround his hands, not unlike my own.

This gave me pause. This magic…this was just like…

I took a long whiff of air. Yes. I could smell them. I felt my heartbeat quicken and my teeth sharpen. I lowered my head and growled, "Why do you smell of Skiadrum and Grandeeney?"

The black-haired young man calmly replied, "My name is Rogue Cheney. I am the foster son of Skiadrum. Behind me is Wendy, foster daughter of Grandeeney. We were raised by them and they taught us their magic." He pointed to my shoulder, which had begun to throb again, "Wendy can heal your shoulder using her magic. Please allow her to do so."

What was this? I feel as though I am relaxing. What is he doing to me? His tone was calm, almost comforting, and it was weighing down my entire body. I grumbled, especially as my joints all buckled and I landed on the ground. I wasn't going anywhere now, and if what the boy said was true, the girl could fix my shoulder to some extent. I growled, "Just the girl." I didn't trust humans, so why was I allowing this one to have influence on my will?

This situation was causing me to become angry, and my desire to kill began to manifest once more. I felt the calm and cooling effect of the girl's magic on my shoulder, but even that didn't distract me. Instead, the moment that I felt the healing magic fade away, I rose back to my feet and bared my teeth at the boy who called himself Rogue. I snarled at him, "You lie. The dragons would never raise humans and teach them their magic, especially after what happened the first time."

Just then, I heard another young man shout from farther away, "Yaseika, how can you forget?" I looked towards him to see salmon-colored hair. I breathed in his scent, only to freeze up. I recognized this scent, and a name flew into my mind instantly.

END.

I swooped down towards him with lightning speed, my wings outstretched, preparing to attack him when I recognized another scent and magic on him. That of Igneel.

I pinned this boy down to the ground and menacingly questioned him, "Why do you smell of Igneel?"

The young man, the human form of END, despite the power flowing through him began to tremble. He tried to compose himself, and said, "Don't you remember, Yaseika? Igneel raised us together. Two humans. We were brother and sister."

His words caused my mind to go red in rage. I roared, "LIES! I was never human. And Igneel wouldn't associate with humans to begin with. There have been exceptions and dragons and humans have fought on the same side before when there has been a need. But you?! There's no possible way he would choose to consort with _you_. We dragons have fought against your kind since the very beginning of time."

I realized that I could not sense Zeref anymore then and internally began to panic. I roared at the boy pinned beneath me, "Where is your brother?! Where is your creator?!"

 **LUCY POV**

 _Huh? Brother? Creator?_

What did Yaseika think Natsu was? From his expression, he didn't seem to understand anything either. Yaseika was making me increasingly nervous with each passing moment. She appeared to have no memory of us, only a memory as being a dragon throughout her past. And what she was saying wasn't making a whole lot of sense. She also appeared to become increasingly agitated, which could end badly for us. I was going to say something when a bolt of black magic appeared out of nowhere, striking Yaseika in between her eyes.

She yelled in pain, rearing herself off of Natsu and backing away. He took this opportunity to get up off the ground, only to tense up. Then I heard a voice calmly and clearly speak, "Now Yaseika. That is not your story to tell." I turned towards this unfamiliar voice and gasped. I had almost forgotten about him. His black hair and flowing robes blew to the side with the wind, a calm and almost happy expression on his face.

Natsu immediately appeared in front of me protectively and growled, "Zeref."

The young man in question chuckled and said, "It's good to see you again, Natsu."

Natsu yelled back, "Like hell!" He charged forward towards the Black Wizard, a fiery fist raised above his head. The attack made contact with Zeref, knocking him aside. As he was flying through the air, I thought I could see him faintly smile. He reached an arm out and quietly reoriented himself, landing silently upright. He rose to his full height and looked towards Natsu with a peaceful smile. Natsu then began to undo the bandages on his arm.

 _No!_ If he did that, something terrible was going to happen. Yaseika had said that she would contain him, but now that she has no memory of him, she can't help.

He spoke, "You attacked me that way once before, on Tenrou Island many years ago. I can see how much you've grown." Zeref looked up at the sky speaking, "You may just have what it takes to defeat me, that magic that you have suddenly developed. It all depends on your strength. But," he raised his arms towards Natsu, in almost an endearing manner, "Before you attempt to put my accursed soul to rest, there is something I must tell you."

This caused Natsu to still suddenly. His eyes were completely black and he looked beyond angry now, but confusion pulled at his expression. Zeref slowly spoke, "My name is Zeref Dragneel."

It took a moment before those words registered in my mind. _Huh? Dragneel? No way… So does that mean…?_

The dark wizard finished with, "and I am your older brother."

I gasped, as did many of the other light guild members. Nobody made any move to attack Zeref, as we were all in shock. Natsu seemed the most surprised out of us all. His eyes were wide and he was no longer in his attacking stance. His jaw was dropped open only for a moment later to clench closed. He screamed, "This is complete bull. You're trying to mess with my head!"

Zeref continued, unfazed, "400 years ago, our parents were killed by dragons. My little brother Natsu also died in the attack."

Natsu yelled, "You're mad! Insane!"

Zeref proceeded with his story, "I became obsessed with life and death, researching anything I could in order to bring you back to life. I was cursed by Ankhseram as punishment. While I was cursed and no longer able to live among others, I eventually succeeded in my task, creating beings called Etherious. You are my greatest creation, you are Etherious Natsu Dragneel. E.N.D."

With each word he spoke, it felt like daggers were stabbing into my body. I couldn't believe this. Wouldn't believe it. Natsu isn't a demon. He couldn't be. Especially not E.N.D.

Natsu advanced, but he didn't make any move to attack Zeref. He said, "Yeah right. I'm your little brother, I died 400 years ago, and now I'm E.N.D? I'm tired of your bull. Besides, you told me that Igneel couldn't kill E.N.D. He could've wiped the floor with me any day of the week."

Zeref simply shook his head slightly, and in his hands appeared the book of E.N.D. He spoke, "True, he failed to kill you. But not because he was physically weaker, but because he loved you too much to end your life."

I heard Natsu gasp and stumble back towards me again. Zeref's statements were becoming difficult to argue against. Natsu screamed, "I'm human damn it! E.N.D created Tartaros, and I didn't do that! I'm human!"

Zeref sighed, "Mard Geer stumbled across this book," gesturing to the one in his hands, "and unified demons, calling it E.N.D's will. I suppose in a way, you did create Tartaros." He dropped the book on the ground in front of him.

Natsu's eyes darkened even further in rage and screamed, "Say whatever the hell you want. I ain't E.N.D!"

A bolt of fire magic appeared out of Zeref's fingertips, drilling a small hole into the Book of E.N.D. I didn't know what to expect, but what happened next floored my mind. Natsu gasped in pain, holding his chest. He fell to his knees, gasping for air.

That clinched it. Zeref damaging the Book of E.N.D. and Natsu coincidentally being injured from it, the evidence was overwhelming. It has to be true. But I didn't understand. There were more questions than answers. I happened to look over at Gray, who looked aghast. He murmured something under his breath, "E.N.D." No! Gray had sworn to kill E.N.D. That means he might go after Natsu!

I reoriented myself. No way. He would never do that. Even though they fight, Natsu and Gray are friends. Gray would never try to kill Natsu.

Would he?

Zeref chided Natsu, "You were never a good listener, even back then. I knew that one day I would succeed in reincarnating you as a demon. Your purpose, like all of the others, was to grow to destroy me. I knew that once I had succeeded I would have to find some place to put you so you could grow and train in safety from the world and myself. So I talked to my old friend Igneel about it."

At the mention of Igneel, I heard a loud rumble and I turned to see Yaseika rising up to her feet. She appeared to have recovered from the last attack, but she didn't appear to be in any shape to fight yet. She growled, "Old friend?"

Zeref shrugged, "Igneel was one of the few dragons that didn't mind the presence of humans, and we had first met some time before following the death of my family. I made a deal with him after I had been cursed: when I succeeded in creating Natsu, Igneel would take the boy in and teach him dragon slayer magic. The combination of the power of an Etherious Demon and Dragon inside of a single body would prove to be incredibly powerful." He sighed, "That was centuries before I actually succeeded. I grew insane during that time, especially after finding Mavis and then losing her. Only within the past few decades I was able to create you Natsu, the last Etherious. The most powerful of all of my demons."

He turned away from Natsu and faced Yaseika, "I returned to Igneel to make good on his promise, but I had not been aware that Igneel had already taken in another child to raise as his own. He had believed that I would not succeed, and thus forgot about the promise we made. When I approached him however, he realized Natsu's potential in saving the world from myself. So he agreed to raise Natsu, even though he consciously knew he was ending the future of his other child Yaseika." He chuckled at our taken aback expressions, "I'm surprised that Yaseika didn't tell you the truth about Natsu's heritage herself. I told her the truth after the fall of my bookshelf Tartaros."

I heard Yaseika growl, towering herself over everybody. She knew? She knew the truth about Natsu and didn't say anything? Just then, I recalled the scene back in the hospital just a few weeks previous where she attacked Natsu and her words from just now rang through my head:

" _We dragons have fought against your kind since the beginning of time."_

She knew of his demon heritage. Yaseika had been aware of it for a year now, and she didn't say anything.

She was nearly ready to attack. But who would she fight? Us? Or Zeref?

Zeref spoke, "It appears that she has come to only associate you Natsu with your demon name E.N.D. She does not remember any human connection she developed over the past decades. She only recalls negative memories, threatening ones of humans and demons alike. Her only desire is to destroy those that can harm her. She fears you, Natsu. She fears everyone here, but in particular, you and me. And she wishes to kill us all."

Natsu finally snapped, "ENOUGH!" He tore off the rest of the bandages on his arm and I gasped as Natsu was encased in white light. It was so bright, but inside of the column, I could see Natsu thrust his fist up towards the sky. The wind began to pick up around everything, and I cried out as I was forced backwards into the air.

"Lucy!" I heard somebody cry out, as I collided into a solid form. I managed to look up and see dark hair and red eyes.

I gasped, "Rogue!"

He let out a grunt as he dug his feet into the ground and placed me down in front of him on the ground. I looked back towards Natsu to hear him cry out, "I have been chosen by Ankhseram himself to release this spell. Grant the tortured souls pardon and freedom, cleanse this place of all malevolent curses: Ankhseram Purification!" With those final words of the chant, he took his arm and punched the ground.

The shockwave and tremors from the spell caused the ground to break in countless places. From the point of impact, the light surrounding Natsu broke apart, forming a giant transparent dome covering the surrounding area.

It was breathtaking to watch, and I watched as the light around Natsu faded. He stood to his feet, his waistcoat in tatters. He was breathing heavily, but otherwise he was alright. Before my eyes I watched as the white magical dome surrounding us begin to undulate, pulsating. Then, bolts of white lightning began to rain down from the sky. I let out a small "eep", but soon realized that the lightning was not directed towards me. Or even to the light guild members. Instead, one connected with Zeref, causing him to yell in pain and fall to his knees. One hit Mavis, who simply gasped and held her hand to her heart. Another collided with the large dragon body of Yaseika. She let out a loud roar in agony and collapsed. A final strike of lightning hit nearby Yaseika, illuminating an animal's form. It took me a moment to realize that it was a form of a wolf.

The beings that had been affected by the lightning each fell to the ground. A blackness appeared where each of their hearts were, only to be seemingly pulled out by the light and destroyed. Light began to come out of their faces from their eyes and mouth.

Then, things got really weird.

Zeref hunched over, breathing heavily and when he looked up, his eyes widened. He murmured, "Mavis?" The girl in question actually appeared to look like a ghost this time, rather than solid. Her projection was fading away. She tearfully looked at all of us and smiled. She mouthed the word "Goodbye" and she disappeared in the wind.

At the same time, Yaseika was beginning to shrink. She curled up on herself as she rapidly became smaller and…began to lose her dragon features. Her horns retreated back into her head, her claws returned to hands. Her eyes were closed and she appeared to be in pain, but a few moments later, she had returned to her natural human form. She opened her eyes wearily and I gasped as I saw that both of her eyes were now the startling purple color. The yellow eye was nowhere to be seen. Her hair that had been once completely, or even mostly blood red was now purely an azure color. Yaseika held her hands out in front of her, turning them around. She then touched her face with one hand and grabbed at her hair with the other. She promptly began to tear up.

Then, she turned to her side where she faced the other animal that had been struck by the lightning and she immediately began to sob. She reached out a hand and petted the fur of the wolf, crying, "Striker…it is you." The wolf in question moved closer to Yaseika and nuzzled her neck. I'd never seen her look happier or more at peace than at this moment. Then, the one she called Striker began to fade away, just like Mavis and moments later, the wolf was gone as well.

 **NATSU POV**

I was pretty shocked at everything that has happened.

I was correct in that I would know what to do to cast the spell when the time came, but there was no way I could have known what was going to happen afterwards. Mavis and Striker appeared and disappeared, most likely for good, Zeref was on the ground looking shocked beyond belief, and nearby was my sister Yaseika, who I thought was lost to the world forever.

I began to step towards Zeref, fire appearing at my feet, allowing it to surround me. But then, something felt wrong. The heat and flames surrounding my body began to burn. It started off small at first, but quickly grew to more than a slight annoyance. Instead, it felt like I was being burned alive. I hadn't felt this kind of pain from fire magic for years. I gasped in pain and fell to my knees. I didn't understand. What was happening to me?

I held my hands out in front of me and terror crept into my mind as I watched my skin be covered in unfamiliar black markings. It was reminiscent of what Gray looked like when fighting Tartaros, but here it was so different. My hands curled into talons and pain erupted across my back. A moment later, I felt something heavy on my back moving, as though I had an extra set of limbs. My head felt as though it was splitting apart, and I couldn't hold back the screams in my throat. Then, I heard a voice in my mind, alluring me with its voice crooning, "Kill Zeref. Kill Zeref." I gasped and just barely managed to turn and look at my friends and fellow guild members, only to see them looking at me in fear. The look on Lucy's face felt like a punch to my gut.

I could feel my consciousness fading, and despite the fact that while there was pain, I had never felt stronger than I did in this moment. Feelings of hatred and violence consumed me and the last thing I saw before I faded into the darkness was Yaseika's determined expression. She said the words, "I will save you, Natsu!" Then everything faded from sight.

 **LUCY POV**

I didn't understand. What was happening?!

Before my eyes, I watched as Natsu transformed into something. He looked similar to Yaseika when she was in Second Dragon Force. Curved horns protruded from his head, and tattered wings appeared on his back. But something told me that this wasn't the case. He looked at me just before his face was covered in black markings, fear prevalent on his face. I had never seen him look this scared before. Even when Acnologia appeared on Tenrou Island, he didn't seem afraid. Now, he looked beyond terrified. It slowly shifted to blankness as the markings stretched across his body.

I was terrified too.

When Yaseika screamed that she would save him, I recalled her words to me, just the previous afternoon:

" _When Natsu uses the spell on his arm against the Black Wizard, run the other way. I will contain him."_

Did she know that this would happen? I don't know what "this" is exactly, but it couldn't be good. Especially since Natsu appeared terrified and Yaseika had once said that she would "contain" him.

Zeref himself looked rather surprised, but relieved at the sight of Natsu, who no longer was screaming and was standing to face Zeref, a feral and murderous look in his eyes. The color of liquid gold of his eyes caused me to shiver. He murmured, "So you have awakened yourself, Little Brother. E.N.D."

 _No way…this was the true form of E.N.D?_ Then the vision that Carla had was true. E.N.D. had risen. The only trace remaining that even hinted that this was once Natsu was his pink hair.

E.N.D. simply snarled and lunged himself at Zeref at lightning speed. Before I even recognized it had happened, he had punched his fist through Zeref's chest and threw him to the ground. Zeref wasn't moving, and he had a faint smile upon his expression, the last smile of his life. Natsu let out a growl and looked in our general direction. Instinctively, I took a step backwards in fear.

He smirked and a moment later, I found myself and several others flying through the air. Landing painfully on the ground, I tried to rise, only to find that my leg was now bent at an awkward angle. I stifled my cry as I knew the pain would shortly come.

But before I could even say anything, Gray was in front of me, powering up his Devil Slaying Magic.

I cried out, "Are you serious Gray? That's Natsu in there! You could kill him if you use that."

Gray looked remorseful but he replied, "That demon, E.N.D, is no longer Natsu. He's gone. Even Natsu wouldn't try to hurt us. Especially you."

Just then, another figure stepped in front of Gray, and I saw a purple tunic and blue hair. Gray shouted, "Yaseika, get out of my way!"

She looked furiously at Gray and said, "No." Gray looked ready to argue when she continued, "I know how we can save Natsu. Despite the fact E.N.D. just attacked, Natsu's still alive in there. He's just…asleep. I guess that's the best way of explaining it. He is unaware of what is happening to him. I can reawaken him. I just need time." Her expression turned into that of a challenge and said, "Do you think you can handle that Ice Popsicle?"

Gray didn't take to that very well, "Listen here Yaseika. I don't know what just happened and I want answers. Why should I even remotely trust you? Weren't you a dragon just a minute ago and you didn't remember us?"

Yaseika's expression fell and she calmly replied, "You will get the answers that you desire. I cannot explain things now. There's no time." It sounded like she wanted to add something to the end of that and then decided not to. Eventually she said, "And you should trust me because I know what happened. His transformation was not triggered by Zeref. Instead, Natsu has made a deal with Ankhseram for power. The power to defeat Zeref."

I added, slowly realizing what had happened, "But I talked to him earlier and he didn't know what he had to pay for exchange for the power."

Yaseika nodded, seeing that I understood, "Ankhseram has always been aware of Natsu's heritage, and has fooled Natsu into making a deal. The magic power to defeat Zeref in exchange for Natsu losing his human half and returning to his natural form. The demon E.N.D."

A magic circle appeared around her and fire appeared around her fists, "Just buy me some time. Everyone else should evacuate."

I gasped, "Wait a minute! You'll need as much support as you can…" I cried out harshly in pain as the bone in my leg shifted.

Yaseika's gaze fell to my leg and said, "You are in no condition to fight. No one else should get involved here. Only he and I stand a chance against E.N.D. Him for obvious reasons."

Gray's eyes narrowed and he questioned, "And you?"

She didn't respond. Magic began pouring out of her body at an even faster rate. Then, with a valiant roar, she lunged forward towards Natsu. Brother and sister collided and their fight began.

Gray ran after them, leaving me alone in the dust. I didn't understand what had happened. Just minutes before, Yaseika had lost her mind to the feral nature of the dragon. Now, she looked more focused, emotional, and...human than I've ever seen before. She also clearly was able to use her magic without any kind of fear. I wish I could say the same. I was beyond scared. I was hurting, both emotionally and physically. What could I do?

I looked down at my Fairy Tail guild mark on my hand and clenched it into a fist. I had made up my mind last night. I wasn't going to abandon Natsu, especially while he was now in terrible danger. I would stay here. I would help wherever I found an opening to. Natsu will be saved!

 **Alright, this is the last chapter before I begin to write my different endings. So I'm going to actually post them one at a time, one a week. There are going to be three endings, and they are all going to be rather long. Anyways, if you have stuck with this story for this long, I applaud and thank you so much and hope that everybody has enjoyed this story!**


	42. Ending 1

**This chapter is super long and can be really confusing. But there is important information in this chapter that I'm pretty much going to skim over/reference in later chapters.**

Ending #1: Control

 **YASEIKA POV**

When I initially attacked Natsu, it did not appear that Fullbuster…I mean Gray was going to help me. He seems calm and collected, compared to my brother's future mate. But he seemed a bit out of it following my sudden change in personality and species. Even I don't fully understand what happened. But Gray eventually jumped in and I retreated back, leaving him to delay Natsu. I needed a few moments in order to take care of something.

I silently called upon somebody that I had hoped I would never speak to again, certainly not to call for help. To my side, a tall man appeared. Even though the fight went on in front of my eyes, I knew that no one would be able to see this man. He was wearing royal robes and held in his right hand a tall golden staff that had a scale at its peak.

I murmured, "Ankhseram."

He regarded me coolly, "Heiress. Yaseika Dragneel. You wish to make a contract with me?"

I nodded. He narrowed his eyes at what was in front of me and then turned to face me again. He asked, "What is it you desire?"

I paused before saying, "I want you to personally, following this fight and after everybody that can recover has done so, inform everybody of my entire story. The Forbidden Art. Your curse. Every dilemma that I have ever mentally faced. The full truth. No more lies. No more hiding. You also are to tell them of my wishes to them. You already know of them since you've been in my head. And you will not make another contract with anybody that Natsu nor myself considers as his friend or even closer than that. Nor their descendants."

He pondered over this before humming and telling me, "That is a hefty request. You understand that this means a more valuable price."

I replied "I do."

He looked to his staff to watch as the scale was tilting to my left. He regarded me again, "Your decision is final? You understand what future you are giving up?" I nodded and he said, "For this request you ask of me, I require the price…" He focused on the scale where on the left, a white globe appeared. Moments later, a red globe appeared on the opposite side of the scale, bringing it back into balance. Both globes disappeared and he said, "of your magic," My heart spiked and he finished with, "And your port-mortem choice."

I was confused and he said, "Normally, souls that are taken away too soon, whether through victimization or sacrifice, they are offered the opportunity of reincarnation. Despite your past mistakes, I see that you have learned from it and grown. Thus, you will be given this choice. However, making this contract with me now will waive that chance. Once you die, you die. There is no rebirth."

While what he said was surprising, I had no true desire to reincarnate. Even though it could mean another chance at a better life, I knew that I needed to do this, in order to protect the others.

But then my heart flipped in my chest. My magic though? The thing that I had done so much to amplify only to regret it? Working on controlling it but the moment I finally have it back I have to give it up again? My magic was my pride. My curse. My joy. Everything to me. Then I looked back towards Natsu and Gray, who were still brawling, but I could see that Natsu had the advantage. Gray was slowing, which could prove problematic.

I turned back to the others, slowly retreating back towards the remains of the Fairy Tail guild hall. A few people remained behind, such as the dragon slayers of Fairy Tail and Sabertooth and Erza. And Lucy. I had to admire her for her stubbornness. But if I didn't do this now, she was going to die. Because of who she was.

Memories danced across my mind and I made my decision, "I accept your terms."

Ankhseram grinned and held his hand out towards me. Every part of my body then began to feel drained and weaker. Out of my body came tendrils of red and orange light. I knew instinctively that this was my magic. Pretty much my life.

After a few moments, I finally felt the draining dissipate and it was then that I realized just how weak I had made myself by wearing that eyepatch. But wearing that magic suppressant is what enabled me to do what I was about to do. I told him, "I've finally learned." He raised an eyebrow, signaling me to continue. I said, "I gave you the wrong answer in the past. I did want to defeat Acnologia and Zeref for power. But not power for myself." A face flashed into my memory, "But the power to protect Natsu. To protect those I care about."

Ankhseram released his hold on me and smiled at me. He faded away as he whispered, "I am proud of you. Even though you will not reincarnate, I hope we are able to meet again, Yaseika."

I shook myself out of my trance and cried out to Gray. I couldn't move quickly anymore, but I ran towards them, screaming for Gray to get out of the way. He looked at me and he appeared confused. I didn't have any magic anymore, but I couldn't tell him that. My shout caused him to lose focus and become distracted. Natsu or E.N.D rather took this moment to raise his fist covered in deadly flames above his head, targeting Gray's back.

This seemed rather familiar. Somebody being distracted, not knowing that death was approaching from behind. Igneel had saved me that night and died as a result of my own blindness. I would not allow somebody else to die because of me. Not when I could save them.

With everything I had, I shoved Gray out of the way and to the ground. Just in time for Natsu's fist to collide with my chest. With a sickening sound, I felt Natsu's fist pierce my body and come out on the other side. I looked down to see that crimson blood was coming out at a rapid rate, staining my clothing. I coughed and felt more blood trickle down my chin.

I heard people screaming. Lucy. Gajeel. Wendy. Erza.

Rogue.

I'm sorry I won't be able to tell you anything but I want you to know that had circumstances been different, if I hadn't needed to die at this very moment, I would have accepted you.

My vision was rapidly blurring and fading. With the last of my strength, I raised my head to look at E.N.D., no Natsu, in the eye. Even though he represented everything that I hated for so long, in this single moment, I felt that connection from the past. That connection of eternal brother and sister. Even though he was killing me, I couldn't help but feel a protectiveness and sisterly love for him. As my vision faded into black, I hoped that I was able to convey those feelings through my eyes just one more time.

I only hoped that it would be enough.

 **NATSU POV**

Everything was black. It felt as though shadows were moving around me and I was disoriented. I couldn't feel my magic at all. As time went by, I became more aware of my body and felt like I was laying horizontal on something. I struggled to move, but I couldn't budge an inch. It felt like my body weighed a hundred tons. Voices blurred in and out of my hearing. I couldn't understand anything that was said.

Eventually, I recognized Lucy's voice, "Are you sure he's alright Wendy?"

I heard the girl dragon slayer reply, "'Yes. Everything is normal. For him anyways."

Lucy sounded agitated, "But shouldn't he have woken up by now?"

Wendy sounded concerned but informative, "Well, after what happened, that put a lot of stress on his body." Wait…what happened to me? All I remembered was using that spell by Ankhseram. Then nothing.

I heard Wendy continue, "And plus there's the stuff we need to tell him." There was a pause before she said, "He won't react well."

Lucy sighed and I could faintly smell her tears. I couldn't let Lucy cry. I needed to wake up. Now! She said, "I know. I just hope that he can accept that we have no answers to anything. We don't know what exactly happened when…you know. I don't even know how we can tell him!" Tell me what?! What happened?! What is it that I need to know?!

There was another pause when Wendy asked, "How's Rogue?"

Lucy didn't respond, and I heard Wendy sigh sadly. At this point, I could feel my eyes again and I tried to open them. I felt them moving, but the lids would not open.

Apparently something had happened since I heard Lucy gasp and say, "Wendy, look!"

I heard something shift and then I heard Wendy's voice, "His eyes are moving. He can hear us. Let's not talk about this now. He should be awake soon."

…..

An indefinite amount of time passed before I found myself able to groggily open my eyes. I nearly regretted it instantly. The brightness of the room was nearly overwhelming and pain raced through my skull. I groaned and heard the sound of footsteps. In front of my vision appeared Wendy, whose relief was evident.

She cried out, "Natsu! You're awake!" Before I could even attempt to speak, she disappeared from view as she called for others to come and see me. I heard people shifting around, and eventually, I felt the pillows under my neck shift so that I could sit up and see the room better. In the room, I saw a large group of familiar faces. Lucy. Wendy. Gray. Erza. Happy. Carla. Sting. Gajeel. Master Makarov. And many others. I didn't even think that this many people could fit in a single room. Still, I noticed that certain people weren't there. Like Romeo. Usually he would be by his dad's side, but now he was nowhere to be seen. Rogue and Yaseika were also missing from the room.

Gramps walked up to me first, asking me, "Are you alright Natsu?"

I tried to answer in my usual confident way, but I couldn't find that within my mind at this time. My whole body was in pain and my head was pounding. Instead, I just said, "I guess so. I've been better but…" Then I remembered, "What happened? The war?!"

Master held up his hand and I quieted. Erza then answered, "We took a lot of hard hits but, in the end, the light guilds came out victorious. Zeref and Acnologia are dead." As she spoke, I noticed a wary look in her eyes. I didn't understand. Why was she looking at me like that?

Lucy continued then, "We won, but not without a bit of sacrifice. We lost a lot of people out there. Before Acnologia arrived."

My heart stopped in my chest. I then took notice around the room and re-noted the key people that were missing. I started with, "I saw what happened to Droy and Kinana. But who else don't I know about?"

The tension in the room skyrocketed and Master said, "Alzack. Bisca. Cana. Elfman. Romeo. And others. It's been a week since the end of the fight."

With each name that was listed, it felt like a punch to the gut. I lowered my head, not wanting the others to see me cry. I swore, "Damn it! I…I wasn't strong enough. I couldn't save everybody."

Happy mournfully said, "Natsu…"

I looked around the room and said, "The last thing I remember is using that spell to defeat Zeref. Then Mavis, Zeref, Striker, and Yaseik..!" Then I remembered. I asked, "Where's Yaseika? Is she alright?"

Some guild members exchanged undefinable looks, then Master asked me, "Is that all you remember?" They were avoiding my question. That couldn't be a good sign.

I yelled, "Where's Yaseika!"

"Natsu!" Erza's sharp voice cut through the air and I quieted. She continued, "We don't know how to tell this to you gently, so we are just going to say it. Yaseika is dead."

My heart stopped for a second. No way…Yaseika…she can't be dead. Not again! I eventually managed to gasp out, "How?"

Nobody spoke for a moment until finally Lucy said, "Well, you know how Zeref was talking about him being your big brother and you being E.N.D?" I nodded and she said, "Well, after you used that spell. You became E.N.D. If it weren't for Yaseika and Gray, we all could have died."

"That didn't answer my question," I growled, "How did she die?"

She hesitated before finally saying, "Well…Yaseika ended up jumping into the fight, and not too long afterward…E.N.D. killed her."

 **LUCY POV (One Week Ago)**

I watched the next few moments in horror as E.N.D., no Natsu, retract his arm from Yaseika's body, who fell down to the ground like a sack of flour. She wasn't moving.

I heard people beginning to scream, only to realize that I was among that group of people. I thought she couldn't die. Was it because of that spell Natsu had used? Did that take away her immortality somehow?

Rogue screamed the loudest, "YASEIKA!" He charged forward towards Natsu, looking like he was ready to kill when Natsu held his head in his talons. He began to yell, and to my astonishment, he looked up at me, his obsidian colored eyes wide in terror.

Black eyes.

 _Natsu…the human Natsu…my Natsu…_ I repeated that mantra in my head, and I watched as his wings retracted back into his body, as did his horns. The black markings quickly faded. With the last of the fire magic surrounding him disappearing, his eyes promptly rolled back in his head and he collapsed.

I hobbled forward as best I could crying out, "Natsu!" I felt somebody grab my arm and wrap it around their shoulders. I looked to my side to see Erza there, supporting me as we together moved forward. I reached Natsu's side. His entire body was smoldering and his eyes were closed, but really it wasn't all that different from when he does something like eat Etherion or other elements.

Wendy came to us and immediately said, "He's going to be fine. He needs rest."

Hearing those words caused my heart to leap in my chest. On the ground in front of me was the crazy guy that I loved and I had thought that I had lost him forever. He was going to be okay.

Then I heard a sorrowful scream to my side and I looked over only for my heart to drop into my stomach again. There was Rogue kneeling on the ground, holding Yaseika's body close to him. In her chest was a large hole, and I shivered at remembering that it was Natsu that had done that. Yaseika's body was pale and limp, her eyes open and unseeing. She had the ghost of a smile upon her face.

Rogue let out a scream and cradled her to him, her blood staining his clothes now. I remembered our conversation about mates, and I couldn't even imagine the pain he was in now. The person that was chosen for him by fate itself and the person he had been falling in love with was now gone. The sun rose from the east and illuminated Yaseika, whose eyes were facing the sun. It almost looked like she was admiring the sunrise for the first time. For the first time, being happy and at peace.

 **NATSU POV (Present Day)**

Lucy finished speaking, and at first I had nothing to say. Finally, she placed something in my hands. I opened them to recognize Yaseika's scale bracelet, the one that turned into a bow. I was in shock. I couldn't believe it. Then, flashes of red and Yaseika's sacrifice appeared in my head. I held my hands out before me, trembling. Then I grabbed my head and began to scream. I killed Yaseika! I killed my foster sister!

I heard the others trying to pull me back into calmness, but it wouldn't work. They had never killed anybody before. They didn't kill somebody who I had once trusted with my life. She had said that she would save me. She did, but at the cost of her life. What did she do? How did she save me? She may have brought my human form back, but now I have to live with the guilt that I killed her. I killed Yaseika!

Finally, I heard two voices that brought me back to the present. My eyes refocused and I could see Lucy there. But beyond her was a newcomer to the room.

It was Rogue.

Immediately, I tensed. I knew how he felt about her and the fact that they were mates. Rogue would probably kill me. In the event a dragon's or dragon slayer's mate dies of anything other than old age, the dragon goes mad with rage and guilt. Rogue probably could kill me if he wanted to now. Nothing can stop a dragon's rage.

Rogue regarded me coolly, but I could see pain in his eyes. He said, "Natsu, nobody here blames you for what happened. We knew you would react this way so we were hesitant in telling you." He paused then added, "I don't blame you for what happened. I feel pain whenever I even think of Yaseika now, but I don't blame you at all. It was E.N.D., not Natsu Dragneel."

Then a vaguely familiar voice said, "Yes Rogue Cheney, Son of Skiadrum. You are correct." I couldn't see anybody else, and I looked at the others to see that they were as confused as I was. Then out of nowhere, a tall man appeared in the center of the room. He was dressed in regal robes and he held an unfamiliar staff in his hand. But I immediately recognized his scent.

I gasped, "You…You're Ankhseram?!"

He responded, "I am."

Nobody knew what to say before Master finally asked him, "May I ask what business you have here? You being the god of Life and Death, one wouldn't think that you would casually visit us."

Ankhseram calmly answered, "You are correct. I am here because I am making good on an agreed contract."

Lucy asked, "Contract?"

Ankhseram nodded and continued, "By the request of one Yaseika Dragneel."

Rogue's eyes lit up and he said, "Yaseika made a contract with you?"

Ankhseram nodded again and said, "She wished for me to, once everybody in the war had recovered sufficiently enough, inform all of you of her full story and of her final wishes. No more lies and no more tricks."

Everybody began to murmur and I noticed that Lucy's eyes had narrowed. She asked Ankhseram, "She once told me that in exchange for anything with you, you require a price. What did she give you?"

Ankhseram responded, "In exchange for this current conversation, she gave to me all of her magic."

Finally, I had composed myself enough to ask him a question, "When?" He regarded me, an amused expression on his face. I became aggravated, "Look, I appreciate you giving me the power to defeat Zeref, but that's something we can talk about later. I'm asking you now, when did she make this deal with you?" As I spoke, faint memories of that fight as E.N.D. against Gray and Yaseika were becoming clearer.

Ankhseram said, "Within the last 5 minutes of her life." He turned to everybody, "As most if not all of you may recall, when Yaseika Dragneel and Gray Fullbuster faced Etherious Natsu Dragneel, Yaseika retreated for a time, leaving Gray alone with E.N.D. This is because when she retreated, she contacted me and in secret, we made this contract. It was immediately binding, so I took her magic from her in that instant."

Lucy gasped and Ankhseram zeroed in on her and said, "It appears one of you remembers. She did not have any fire around her, no magic protecting her, as she lunged towards E.N.D., in her actions to save Gray Fullbuster." At those words, I glanced over at Gray who was now looking at the floor. The god continued, "I had already taken her magic and she had already made her choice. She was perfectly aware of what would happen to her. That she would die."

Master Makarov looked at Ankhseram and said, "Would you start at the beginning? Of everything, like Yaseika had requested."

Ankhseram gestured towards his hand where a swirling globe of white light appeared. In his hands appeared a tiny replica of Yaseika. He began, "I have been watching over this girl for some time. Her tale to you about how she lived with Igneel and Natsu Dragneel are all accurate, including the arguments and the eventual falling out. However, she was lying to you about one thing." The replica in his hand shifted, eventually showing Yaseika on one side in a fighting stance. On the other side was Zeref and Acnologia.

He continued, "Yaseika Dragneel using the Forbidden Art actually did two things. First, it transformed her into a dragon. Had that been all, she would have been able to change back and forth between dragon and human without any consequence."

We all were confused at this, and it clearly showed on our expressions. Ankhseram added, "The truth of the matter is, when dragon slayers turn into dragons, they do not lose themselves to a feral evil nature. Rather, the dragon is a final power up. A final weapon at their disposal. The natural-born dragons were unaware of this and feared that all dragon slayers would become like Acnologia." A figure of Acnologia appeared in his hand, "More than 400 years ago, Acnologia was forced to watch as the love of his life was murdered by the dragons. He succumbed to his dragon's rage and thus became a slayer of all dragons, regardless of their allegiance. That is why Acnologia turned out the way he did when he transformed into a dragon. Others realized what he would become and tried to counteract this. Thus, some of the first dragon slayers cooperated to create the Forbidden Arts. The first Fire Dragon Slayer Iroh volunteered to use the spell, knowing it was supposed to kill him. However, instead of completing the task, he became another version of Acnologia. However, he had no control over himself. When the others realized what had happened, Iroh was still weak, and thus were able to seal him away. But Acnologia escaped." I then remembered something from a year ago. Zeref had mentioned something about a choice that the first fire dragon slayer had made. Was this that choice?

Ankhseram continued, "That is why the dragons did what they did in the year X777. They were unaware of the truth. They believed that all dragon slayers would go mad. However, had all that happened that night was Yaseika transforming, things would have been different. But there was one more thing that she didn't tell you."

Yaseika in his hand went into the Forbidden Art stance. He continued, "It approximately takes 10 years to fully learn any kind of magic of this nature. Law. Dragon Slayer Forbidden Art. Last Ages. Iced Shell." I heard Gray and Lyon gasp at that. Ankhseram added, "Yaseika chose to use this powerful technique prematurely. I met with her very briefly then, asking her to explain her reasoning for using this magic. Her thoughts were jumbled, so I needed to hear it from her herself. She claimed that she was doing all of this for power. I did not like her reasoning, especially since her heart was wavering. So that night, instead of completing the spell, I stopped her. She transformed into a dragon and I gave her Ankhseram Black Magic. In short, I cursed her. She would have had an unnaturally long life as a dragon, but I gave her immortality. She couldn't have friends or relationships anymore with others because it would kill them. She wanted power so bad, I gave her so much that she couldn't handle it. She became another version of the first fire dragon slayer."

Rogue lunged forward towards Ankhseram, lunging for his chest. Rogue passed right through Ankhseram as he appeared to have been expecting this attack and temporarily became intangible. He returned to a physical form and Rogue screamed, "It was you! You were the one causing her all of this pain. You were torturing her!"

Ankhseram coolly replied, "It was the lawful thing to do. All who attempt to use that kind of magic prematurely are punished." His eyes narrowed, "I suggest you watch your tone Rogue Cheney. Remember this. I am a god. I will not stand for this."

Rogue cried out, "What are you going to do, curse me? GO AHEAD!" Rogue was slowly succumbing to his dragon's rage, especially now that he was faced with the man who caused his mate pain.

Ankhseram said, "No. There is no need for that." He seemed to have something on his mind, but he did not voice it.

Lyon spoke for the first time, "You mentioned Iced Shell. Does that mean..?"

Ankhseram finished for him, "Yes. Your master Ur. I remember her well. I spoke to her as well, just before she used Iced Shell. If her intention was honorable and she understood what she was doing, she would be allowed to use the spell."

Gray seemed uncomfortable and he slowly asked, "So…Lyon and I have both tried to use that spell before…"

Ankhseram said, "You were not in any danger. I saw the future, I knew that others would save you. Ur didn't have that option. So I stepped in. However," his eyes gleamed, "Had you used that spell as a child and there was no chance of rescue, because of your desire and inexperience," gesturing to Lyon, "I would have been forced to punish you as well." He looked at Gray, "You would have simply died, as your intentions were pure and you had spent 10 years reviewing the spell."

Nobody said anything for a time, processing this information. Finally Ankhseram continued his story, "Yaseika's inability to control herself stemmed from my punishment, not from the dragon upbringing. The first death she caused: Striker. He did not die exactly. Rather, when I had cursed her, the wolf had been affected as well. He was immortal, and when she struck him down with her black magic, he became like Mavis Vermillion. Invisible. Silent. But she could nearly always sense him. Others could see him from time to time but she never could."

"Whenever she disappeared, whether on Tenrou Island or at night, it was because the curse was strong. She nearly killed some of you on Tenrou Island from the curse. She was losing control of her emotions. That is why she was forced to use her magic, in a last ditch attempt to counter the curse. She managed to, but she was left exhausted for a time afterwards."

Then, the figures in his hand shifted to Yaseika, on her knees in front of Ankhseram. It appeared as though she was begging for something. Ankhseram continued, "She cared a great deal for the people in this room, and she would frequently beg for me to allow her to break her silence. To allow her to tell you people the truth. Obviously that did not happen until she transformed before your eyes sometime later. During the war, when Natsu used that spell, she was freed from my curse. She had not expected for that to happen, and had believed the spell would only affect Zeref. The spell freeing her left her feeling rather relieved."

In his hand, I watched as the figures shifted one final time. On one side, there was Yaseika and Gray, ready to fight and on the other was an unfamiliar figure with wings. With a pang, I realized that that was me. After I had transformed into E.N.D. Ankhseram continued, "Much of the rest of her story told was accurate, however, she hid a crucial detail from you. She knew that following the use of my magic by Natsu Dragneel that he would turn into E.N.D. She also knew how to counter it, through another special contract." His eyes flickered to Lucy and said, "I believe I can allow Ms. Heartfilia explain that one."

Everybody's eyes turned to her and she looked shocked. Then, something seemed to click in her mind and her hand went up to cover her mouth. After a few moments, she told us about something called the Books of Requirement. They pretty much told the reader any information they wanted, including that of the future. However, the information available was proportional to the magic ability or potential of the reader. Lucy knew all of this because Yaseika had told her about it when she realized that Lucy possessed one of the books. She couldn't read much from it, especially information that pertained to the war. It was then that Lucy discovered that Yaseika would die in the fight. Lucy assumed that Yaseika had discovered how to counter Natsu's transformation through the book.

Ankhseram nodded, "You are correct. She determined that the way to turn Natsu back to normal was for one certain thing to happen. E.N.D. would need to kill somebody that Natsu had a connection with."

With the revelation of that information, the room fell silent again. I looked at my hands again, not really seeing them. Ankhseram continued, "She knew that she would be the one to die. She saw how happy Natsu was with all of his friends and didn't want him to live with that guilt. He had created such an amazing life for himself and didn't want him to have to destroy it. So she offered herself as the sacrifice. Yaseika was uncertain that the connection that Natsu and herself once had would be strong enough, but the moment she died, she felt it again and knew she had succeeded." I remembered what Lucy had said just moments before, that Yaseika had died with a smile on her face. She had saved me…again. I began to cry silently. I felt the bed dip with someone's weight and I could tell it was Lucy. She wrapped her arms around me, and I let my emotions out. Yaseika had died in order to save me, and everybody else. If what Lucy said was true, I was going to kill Gray or even Lucy herself. I couldn't believe how close I had come to doing that. But even so, knowing that I killed Yaseika would haunt me for the rest of my life.

Ankhseram began to flicker and he said, "My time here is almost up. I have some things to tell some of you. Natsu," I flinched and he said, "Yaseika truly cares for you. She only thought to protect you and wanted nothing more than for you to be safe and happy. So do not blame yourself for what happened. What happened was her choice. She wants you to live for her, the way that she had once dreamed to."

He turned to Rogue, "She says the same to you. Do not despair, for her death was in her control. However, she did believe that had she been free, she would have accepted you." Rogue's eyes widened in shock and Ankhseram finished with, "As her mate."

Rogue began to shake with emotion as Ankhseram moved on to Lucy, saying, "Lucy Heartfilia. You are the closest to her brother. She asks that you stay by his side."

I felt Lucy tighten her grip around my shoulders. She whispered, "I will."

Ankhseram finally ended with Gray saying, "She thanks you for putting your faith in her one last time."

The god seemed ready to leave when Erza cried out, "Wait!" Her hand began to glow and within her grasp appeared a black arrow, the black one that Yaseika had given her just before everything went to hell. The redheaded knight asked, "What was the purpose of this weapon? Why did she really give it to me?"

Ankhseram's eyes flickered and he replied, "She intended for that to kill Acnologia in the chance that she could not do so. However, that was the secondary function. The primary purpose was, after Acnologia was defeated, you would strike Yaseika and kill her." Erza was about to protest when the god finished with, "Had she fully succumbed to her black magic curse, she would have begun mindlessly destroying anything in her path. There was a possibility she would destroy E.N.D. along with everything else. She knew there was a chance this would happen, and hoped that you would be strong enough to destroy her if it came to that. That is why she purposefully made you agitated and provoked you at any moment."

Erza gasped and she said, "I remember her once telling me, more than a year ago, she was counting on me disliking and even hating her. Did she mean…?"

Ankhseram nodded before addressing the entire room. His voice boomed, "She thanks everyone here for willing to put up with her harsh nature. Despite the quiet hostility, she learned how to trust humans again, to trust those that Natsu called his friends. She had hoped that someday she could say the same about herself."

Nearly everybody was in tears now and finally Rogue snapped, "I want to see her! Just one more time!"

Ankhseram sighed, "I cannot help you."

Rogue yelled, "Yes you can. I will make a contract with you myself. I'll give anything to speak to her one more time. Even if only for a few minutes."

Ankhseram shook his head, "I cannot help you. Her contract is preventing me from making a contract with you." Everyone's eyes widened as he said, "Her contract contained many articles. My telling of this story, my telling of her true feelings. However, there is a third part. I have been forbidden from making contracts with anybody that Natsu or she would have considered as a friend or more." He turned away from me and Lucy, "For this, I required a higher price than her magic. In exchange for this full deal, she gave to me her magic and gave up her chance to be reborn."

Wendy gasped, "Reborn?"

He nodded, "All souls that are mostly pure and righteous have the opportunity to be reborn, if they chose to do so. In making this contract, Yaseika will never be reborn into another form. She will not have another chance at life. However," he began to fade away, "she did realize her mistake and told me the true reason why she wanted to use the Forbidden Art the first time." His legs disappeared, "She didn't want the power for herself. She didn't even want to really make Igneel proud." His torso disappeared, "She wanted the power to protect those that she cared about. In the end, she realized she didn't even need that power. One of her major regrets is that she was so greedy, so desperate for magic and power that she forgot why she had really wanted it in the first place. Now many are dead and suffering because of her. But she wouldn't change a thing. Because she got to see her little brother one more time. And she learned the true meaning of possessing magic." With that, his face disappeared and the room descended into silence.

Rogue eventually left the room, with Sting following afterwards. He looked angry, but not towards me or anybody else. Erza barked for some of the others to get back to work on rebuilding the guild hall and the city of Magnolia. People trickled out of the room until only a few remained. Finally, Lucy asked me, "I know that that was a lot to take in, Natsu. But, are you going to be okay?"

My eyes were full of tears, but at the same time, I was smiling. Even though I knew that these hands of mine killed my sister, hearing how she had become happy because of Fairy Tail and the other light guilds made me feel a little relieved. I looked at her, her brown eyes looking into mine in concern. I answered, "She died," I gulped at that, "being free from her curse and in control of her destiny. I can imagine that she would be happy." For a brief moment, I felt a wave of heat and wondered in my head _Yaseika?_ The heat faded away and despite the pain and guilt I felt, I had to smile. I answered her, "I'm not alright." I clenched my fist tightly around the bracelet in my hand, then placed it to the side, "but I will be. I'll live on. For her."

 **Sooo, one ending down, two to go! I had no idea how to really end this chapter, so I just kind of wrote till I ran out of ideas. So this one is the saddest ending, resulting in the death of Yaseika and everybody slowly rebuilding from their pain and grief. I hope you enjoyed and will check back in next week for the second of three endings.**


	43. Ending 2

Ending #2: Like Father, Like Daughter

 **LUCY POV**

 _Yaseika's gaze fell to my leg and said, "You are in no condition to fight. No one else should get involved here. Only he and I stand a chance against E.N.D. Him for obvious reasons."_

 _Gray's eyes narrowed and he questioned, "And you?"_

 _She didn't respond. Magic began pouring out of her body at an even faster rate. Then, with a valiant roar, she lunged forward towards Natsu. Brother and sister collided and their fight began._

 _Gray ran after them, leaving me alone in the dust. I didn't understand what had happened. Just minutes before, Yaseika had lost her mind to the feral nature of the dragon. Now, she looked more focused, emotional, and...human than I've ever seen before. She also clearly was able to use her magic without any kind of fear. I wish I could say the same. I was beyond scared. I was hurting, both emotionally and physically. What could I do?_

Watching Yaseika and Gray fighting E.N.D. there really was nothing that I could do. My leg was messed up and pain laced through me. After a short time, I watched as Yaseika retreated away from the fight. Gray was left alone to attack E.N.D. I watched as Yaseika's eyes closed and her mouth began to open and close rapidly, as though she were talking to somebody.

Eventually her eyes snapped open. Her skin began to cover itself in scales and she grew in size. Moments later, she towered over all of us in her dragon form. Yaseika took to the sky and flapped her wings powerfully. She roared, "Gray, get out of the way!" Without question, he dove out of the way, and Yaseika swooped down towards E.N.D. He roared and both dragon and demon collided. Dust and debris flew everywhere, making it impossible to see what was actually happening. There was a fait glow within the smog, but I couldn't tell who it was coming from. I heard roars and the sound of scuffling before finally, silence. The air cleared and the sight before my eyes shocked me.

Lying on the ground unconscious was Natsu, his body returned to its usual human form. His wings and horns were gone, as were the black markings. His body was steaming and he was breathing heavily, but otherwise he looked healthy. But something else was wrong. Yaseika was nowhere to be seen.

"Yaseika?" Rogue tentatively asked from behind me. A moment later, he rushed forward towards where Natsu was lying, stepping over him. He looked around wildly and cried out again, "Yaseika! Say something!" There was no response. Rogue fell to the ground and screamed to the sky, the sound of rage and sorrow. He yelled, "Yaseika! Where are you?!"

Hearing him cry out caused my own heart to ache. We had won the war. The threat of E.N.D. was gone. But at what cost? People were injured, dying, or dead. The guild hall was destroyed, as were many of the surrounding buildings. Yaseika was nowhere to be found. The Great War of Light and Dark was over. Did the light guilds come out victorious?

Yes.

But we were all changed.

 ***two weeks later***

The war had left the city of Magnolia devastated. Many people were dead, but we were slowly moving past what had happened. The people of Magnolia combined forces with the light guild members to help rebuild the Fairy Tail guild hall. They were very grateful for what we had done for the city, and in truth for the world. The same occurred towards the other light guilds.

Despite the gaps it left in our ranks, a constant search for Yaseika was underway. There was no proof that she was dead, but with each passing day, I became less hopeful and thought for sure that somehow, she had been vaporized in the fight against E.N.D. I tried using the Book of Requirement to track her, but nothing came up. I became so tempted to do what Yaseika had done, and give part of my soul to the book, to find out where she had gone. For Natsu's and Rogue's sakes. Then I remembered the sunken look in her eye when she had told me not to, and decided against making a contract with the book.

For now.

Rogue was worrying me though. His eyes were darker and he didn't smile at anything anymore. True, he didn't smile a whole lot before, but he seemed more hopeful. He seemed happy with Sting, Lector, and Frosch by his side. Now, he looked horrible. His face was sunken and I didn't see him eating very much. I saw him stumbling off alone pretty frequently, looking out towards the town. I had to wonder, what was he thinking? I knew he wanted to go after Yaseika, but as far as I knew, if he couldn't find her as her mate, what chance did the rest of us have?

Natsu had just woken up today. He reacted badly to the news we had, regarding Yaseika and the other losses. He blamed himself for everything, especially when he had become E.N.D. Eventually he calmed down and seemed less panicky.

But.

Natsu was trying to hide his pain, but I could see it converge in his eyes. He had been eternally changed by what had happened. Devastated, he helped how he could in the search for Yaseika, but there was still nothing. It was the end of the day when a surprise visitor came to the guild hall.

He introduced himself as Ankhseram, and revealed Yaseika's full story, including being cursed and tortured nearly every day. At our insistence, he told us the truth behind what had really happened to Yaseika in the war. He started by saying that Yaseika was not dead. He said that Yaseika knew of a way to lock away Natsu's demon personality permanently. If she were to, as a dragon, use the dragon secret art and enter Natsu's body, as the natural first instinct of a demon is to fight dragons, E.N.D. would focus on her and combat her. The dragon slayer magic present in Natsu's body should allow her to attempt to enter her body.

However.

If Natsu's body didn't reject her, she would harmlessly enter his body and be able to lock away the demon for good, enabling Natsu to return to human form. In the case that this didn't work, she hoped she would be able to come up with some other plan. Once Yaseika had locked E.N.D. away sufficiently, she had intended to return back to human form, because unlike Igneel, she still had her soul. However,

"She didn't know the Dragon Secret Art. So she talked to me about it while Gray Fullbuster was fighting E.N.D." I gasped as I remembered her closing her eyes and moving her mouth, as though she was talking to somebody. That was Ankhseram?

He continued, "She made a contract with me. I would tell the truth about everything that happened, I would not make a contract with any people in the light guilds, and I would give her the knowledge of the Secret Art so she could use it to take down E.N.D. and free Natsu." He shrugged, "Of course that came with a price."

He explained, "For all of this she asked of me, I required one thing. As soon as the demon was locked away, she would forfeit her ability to return to a human form. She will remain within Natsu's body, always able to see and watch what Natsu sees, but never able to return to a physical form." I watched Natsu put a hand up to his chest in combined horror and wonder. Yaseika was…inside him? Like…? Ankhseram finished with, "It is exactly like Igneel's actions. Like father, like daughter." Then he spoke of Yaseika's final wishes to each of us and promptly disappeared.

I looked over towards Rogue who looked heartbroken. He had just been told that had things been different for her, she would have accepted him as her mate, just as he had accepted her. Rogue simply fell to knees and finally to the point where he was sitting on the floor, head in his hands. Then, I watched as Natsu moved from where he was and walked over to Rogue. He sat down next to the shadow dragon slayer. I moved over to them as well, as I listened in on their conversation.

Natsu: I'm sorry.

Rogue: …You don't need to be. It wasn't your fault.

Natsu: But if I hadn't transformed into E.N.D… if I hadn't made that stupid deal with Ankhseram…

Rogue: Listen, if you hadn't made that deal, a lot of people would have died. Zeref wouldn't have been defeated…and Yaseika wouldn't have been free from her curse.

Natsu: She would still be here though.

Rogue: …Even though I can't see her, I sense her. In you, a little bit. I thought it was part of my imagination before…but after what that god just said, it makes sense.

Natsu: You being her mate, I wouldn't blame you if you want to exact punishment on me.

Rogue: No. She's happy. Even though I cannot see her, I can sense it. She's happy about being free. Besides, if I were to hurt you, I would hurt her. She doesn't want to see you sad. That's why she did what she did.

Natsu: …She's happy?

Rogue nodded and stood up, holding his hand out to Natsu. He took the hand and allowed himself to be pulled up. They shook hands and Rogue excused himself back to Sting's side. Even though he looked worse for wear, I could see a faint smile upon his face.

Natsu noticed my gaze and approached my side. He asked, his voice wavering, "Were you listening?" I nodded and he sighed, running a hand through his hair. Out of impulse, I closed the distance between us and threw my arms around his neck. He let out a sound of surprise, before relaxing into my embrace. His knees buckled, and I followed him to the ground where we were both kneeling, just holding each other. Natsu's body wracked with sobs, but I just held him tighter. It was like we were alone in the guild hall. Even though I could sense others nearby, right now, it was just the two of us.

An indefinite amount of time passed before I heard him whisper, "Thank you…Lucy." I was about to respond when he added, "And you too, Yaseika."

The words died in my throat. Instead, for just a brief moment, I thought I felt a presence by our side, it was fleeting and faint, but there was definitely one there. I turned my head to see who it was, but I could not see anybody. Instead, it was this heat, one that I had felt before, but something felt different. Just then, I imagined Yaseika standing by Natsu's side, one hand on his shoulder in an attempt to comfort him. Then, it faded away.

Like the father, she would watch over Natsu with everything she had and protect him when she could. After all, she was his sister. She had sworn on her father's deathbed to protect Natsu, and protect him she will.

Till the end of his days.

 **Sorry for the del** ay **on this chapter! Timing didn't work out and I couldn't post it when I usually do because I didn't have Wi-Fi.**

 **Pretty short chapter here, but the next and final chapter/ending will be** _ **very**_ **long. Thank you to everybody who has been following my story. I'll try to get the next chapter up at the usual time.**


	44. Ending 3

Ending #3: The True Power of a Dragon's Mate

 **YASEIKA POV**

With Lucy out of the way due to her injury, it would be easier for me to focus on what needed to be done. Especially since I had lied to her. I didn't have a plan to save Natsu. My best hope was that I could knock him out and keep him that way long enough until I could come up with a plan.

Being freed from my curse has left my mind clear for the first time in decades. No longer were my warring personas snapping at each other. Now, dragon and human were in balance, working together in sync. I was able to think coherently and now my mind was only focused on one thing: keeping Natsu and his friends alive.

Gray and I worked surprisingly well together. My fighting style was similar to Natsu's and Gray appeared aware of this. He would retreat and attack in response to my own movements. E.N.D. snarled in anger, and for a moment, I could see his eyes. Even though they flickered with the color of liquid gold, within them, I noted a very faint fear present in his eyes.

Natsu.

He was still in there. I would do whatever it would take to protect him and his humanity.

He whirled his arms, a wave of fire accompanying the attack. Caught distracted in my thoughts, the attack made contact. While it did not result in any damage, when I regained my bearings, I couldn't see E.N.D. or Gray anywhere. I reached out with my senses before I heard a shout from behind me. It was Lucy, screaming, "Yaseika, behind you!"

I turned quickly, just in time to see E.N.D. lunging towards me, a fiery hand reaching for my heart. He was too close. Even at my best, I wouldn't have been able to dodge it. Clearly, despite being free of my curse, I was not at my peak. My senses were wild, and my power was barely controllable. I couldn't do anything but watch as E.N.D. was coming to provide me with a swift death.

But then, what happened next was completely unexpected.

A figure jumped in front of me, his body shielding me from the attack. Instead, I heard the blow connect with the figure, and he let out a shout of pain. E.N.D.'s fist protruded through his lower abdomen, and I heard final grunts of pain as E.N.D. threw the figure to the ground some distance away. The figure's head collided hard with the ground and he fell, silent and unmoving. His chest was moving up and down almost imperceptibly, but that didn't matter.

The black clothing. The black hair. The scent. It was all there.

The figure that had jumped in front of me to save me. To take the fatal blow meant for me himself. The man who, in a different world would have been my other half. The young man lying unconscious some distance away as a result of E.N.D. was my future mate: Rogue.

It felt as though time itself had frozen at this moment. The battle, the war, the screams of others all faded away, until all I could see was Rogue. I could hear his strained breathing, the weak beating of his heart. He was alive, clinging onto life with everything he had. It was my fault. I had been distracted, and again somebody else had gotten hurt as a result of my mistake. Rogue had said he would accept me, despite the risks it posed to his life and safety. Now here he was, lying on the ground, on the verge of death because of me.

E.N.D.

He did this. He hurt Rogue. It wasn't just my fault. He tried to kill Rogue. I would make him pay. Both of us would pay.

My mind had been consumed by this self-hatred and vengeance. My vision turned red, and I turned away from Rogue, able to see only one being. The being that caused my mate pain. E.N.D. He stood proudly, his talons covered in the blood of Rogue. Fire and smoke began to peel out of my mouth and without even realizing it, scales began to cover my skin.

A few moments later, I towered over everything, but all I could see was E.N.D. Even in this powerful form, I could feel acute pain traveling across my senses. The pain of my mate. I turned towards Rogue once more to see a blue-haired figure leaning over him.

Wendy. The daughter of Grandeeney.

She was my ally. My sister. She would protect Rogue with everything she had. He would heal.

It was time for me to take my revenge. E.N.D. must die for hurting my mate.

I let out a roar and swung down towards him. He jumped out of the way, taking to the sky, only for my other hand to make contact with his form. He slammed down to the ground. He was lying on his back, one of my draconic talons holding him down. My other arm raised above my head, encasing in flame. I brought it down hard on the form below me. I heard a howl of pain, and raised my fist to attack again. I brought my hand down countless times, before I raised it up one last time. I could barely sense E.N.D.'s movement. He was weak, one more blow would wipe his existence from this world.

I was preparing to bring death to E.N.D. when I heard a feminine voice scream, "NOOO!" Then, a figure with blond hair threw herself over E.N.D.'s form. Somewhere in my mind, I recognized this person. Lucy. My brother's mate. She looked up at me, desperation in her eyes. Tears streamed down her face.

I growled, "Lucy, get out of the way!" I didn't want to hurt her, for my brother's sake, but she was standing between a vengeful dragon and her prey. I wouldn't remain this way for long.

Lucy cried out, her body wracking with sobs, "Yaseika, stop! You can't kill him!"

She feels compassion for this demon?! How is that possible? He tried to kill my mate. He would kill them given the chance. I had to stop him. I had to make him feel my and my mate's pain. I roared back, "I must and I will kill him. To save us!"

Then I heard another voice, "Yaseika!" I turned to this new sound to see long black hair and red eyes. Not my mate. But a kind of brother to him and myself. Gajeel. Son of Metalicana. He yelled, "We do not kill our enemy. Rogue would not want you to kill him."

I roared in challenge before Lucy screamed, "Yaseika! E.N.D. is Natsu!" My heart stopped in my chest.

No.

It couldn't be.

Lucy continued, "Remember the truth Yaseika! Look at him! You said you would save him! So you can't kill him!"

I allowed myself to look down at the being below my talon and lifted my hand. Looking closer, I noticed that while the being was clearly a demon, the pink hair and the scent were undeniable. It was Natsu. My brother.

No.

My mind began to draw itself out of the vengeful haze it had been in. This being beneath me was not Natsu. It was my enemy, E.N.D. He hurt my mate. But it was also my brother. Natsu was trapped inside. Natsu did not hurt my mate. He is my brother.

I looked at my fire covered talons, beginning to tremble in shock. I came so close. So close to breaking another promise. I would not kill anybody else that was innocent. I would not kill E.N.D, for he is also Natsu.

Just then, I noticed a subtle movement by Lucy and my senses sharpened. Without a second thought, I swiped Lucy into my hand, pulling her away from E.N.D. She cried out in shock but silenced when a moment later, a pillar of fire appeared right where she had been lying. Before our eyes, E.N.D. struggled to his feet. I had done a number on him, but there was no mistaking that he was ready to fight again.

I placed Lucy on the ground and told her, "Stay here."

Lucy cried out, "You can't kill him!"

I retorted, "I won't." There was a pause before I added, "Thank you…for helping me to refocus my mind."

Lucy replied, "It was the right thing to do." She clenched her fist, "I want to help you though!"

My heart spiked, "You can't. If E.N.D. finds out who you really are, he'll kill you!" I wouldn't let E.N.D. kill Lucy. If she dies and Natsu is saved, he would never forgive himself.

Lucy looked confused, "Who I really am? What do you mean?"

Just then, Gajeel appeared to the side, "No Yaseika. I think Lucy can actually help." I was about to argue when he said, "Think about it. Because of who Lucy is, she might be able to get through to Natsu, help him take control. Just like with Rogue and you."

Lucy was still confused about the whole thing, "Gajeel what are you saying?" But it was clear to me. Lucy being Natsu's mate may actually be able to save him. It was the best chance of saving his human half at this point.

I turned to her, and she flinched. I remembered that I was in my dragon form and shrunk back down to the size of a human. As calmly as I could, I spoke to her, "You can actually help us Lucy. What you need to do is speak to E.N.D."

Lucy screeched, "What!"

The shrill sound of her voice caused me to flinch and I continued, "Appeal to Natsu's humanity. Memories with him, Fairy Tail, friendship, anything. Just keep him focused on you. It might be enough to draw him back out."

Lucy looked towards E.N.D., who had begun stumbling towards us. She asked me, "Who am I Yaseika? You know something, don't you?"

I replied curtly, "There's no time." E.N.D. was closer now, "You have to talk to him, NOW!" I threw her arm around my shoulder and brought her towards him. I could feel her trembling, but I had to admire her for her steadfastness as she did what I told her.

I listened to her talk about how they first met and a number of adventures that they had gone on. It even caused my heart to ache hearing her talk about the incidents of the Grand Magic Games, where they had watched a future version of Lucy sacrifice herself for the present Lucy. Hearing how he had reacted was understandable. Watching your mate, even though it wasn't exactly the one you knew personally die because he wasn't fast enough, I could imagine Natsu going ballistic.

I did the same just moments ago after all.

Lucy's voice began cracking, "You have saved and protected me for so long," her face streamed with fresh tears, "Please let me save you, Natsu. Come back to me, to us, to Fairy Tail." E.N.D. had since stopped his advance and was looking at Lucy with a curious expression. Still, nothing appeared to be actually changing as of yet. Finally, Lucy screamed, "Damnit Natsu! You need to wake up because…because I love you okay?!"

E.N.D.'s eyes widened and for a moment, it looked like his expression shifted to something else unidentifiable. Lucy continued, "You're my best friend, I really care about you, and I don't want this to happen to you! I want my Natsu back! I love him. Please…wake up!"

Tension filled the air and E.N.D's eyes closed, his head tilting to the side. Finally, Lucy wrenched herself out of my grasp and with a few gasps of pain, managed to stumble over to E.N.D. to throw her arms around him. He did not make any movement in reaction. I was about to cry out in warning, when E.N.D. muttered almost silently, "Lucy…?"

My chest felt as though it was flying. It was working! Natsu was coming back to his senses. Lucy and Natsu's connection as mates did have the power to surpass any madness.

Before my eyes, I watched E.N.D. return Lucy's embrace, his arms wrapping tightly around her shoulders. His wings raised up behind him. I watched as his eyes shifted and the gold from the irises began to disappear, fading into the normal obsidian color. They separated from each other, and Lucy began to cry yet again. Natsu raised a sharp talon to her face, gently wiping the tears away. He murmured, "Don't cry…please. I hate to see you cry."

Lucy continued to sob in earnest and he pulled her back into his chest. His transformation began to fade away and before long, normal, human Natsu was standing before my eyes. He looked up at me, and our eyes met. This was Natsu. This was the brother that I knew. It was over.

Or so I very briefly thought.

"Yaseika!" I heard a young voice cry out. I turned to see a pink-haired girl standing there. I didn't know her personally, but one look at her guild mark showed that she was part of Lamia Scale. She gasped out, "It's Rogue."

My heart rate spiked. My mate. I hadn't forgotten about him, but I had assumed he would be in safe hands with the child of Grandeeney. Was I wrong? Was I too late?

I followed her to where Rogue was lying unconscious, Wendy using her healing magic on him. Even so, he didn't look good. The wound through his abdomen had been crusted over, but there was so much blood. And there was the question of his head that had slammed into the ground. The sky dragon slayer looked up at my approach and shook her head. I couldn't speak. She said, "I don't have enough magic power. Healing your shoulder as a dragon and using it to help everybody else, I don't have the magic to heal him. Chelia doesn't either," referencing the pink haired girl. She continued mournfully, "I can maintain him in this state for a little longer, but he is dying. I'm sorry."

No…he couldn't be dying. He received this wound trying to protect me, knowing that he might die. Another person would die because of my choices and there was yet again nothing I could do about it.

Wait…

I stood up from my kneeling position at Rogue's side. There was something I could do. It was stupid and very risky, but it just might work. I could hear voices around me, murmuring, asking me what I was doing. I stood strong, both feet planted on the ground, my arms at my sides. I screamed out, "I call upon thee, the God of Life and Death! Leave your throne and come before me! Heed my call: Ankhseram!"

For a moment nothing happened. Then, wind and dust began to pick up around me and the sky began to flash with lightning. Before my eyes, a single bolt struck down in front of me, dimming down to reveal a man standing there in royal clothing. He held a golden staff with a large ornate scale on it.

He regarded me coolly, "Yaseika Dragneel."

I replied, "Ankhseram."

His eyes felt as though they were probing through my soul, searching for something. He inquired, "Why have you called for me? My curse no longer has effect on you."

I heard people gasping and asking questions to their neighbors, but I tuned them out. I said, "I want you to save him," I pointed, "Rogue Cheney."

Ankhseram's gaze flickered down to the black-haired boy, then met my own eyes again. On one side of the scale, a white light appeared, weighing the scale down to the right. He asked me, "What would you be willing to give me in exchange for this boy's life?"

"Wait!" I turned to see Natsu there, supporting Lucy. Lucy said, "You can't do this! Don't make a contract with him!"

I stared directly back into Ankhseram's eyes, "I will do what I have to."

Natsu shouted, "I'm the one who hurt him. You shouldn't do this! If anything, I should be punished for my mistake!"

I turned back to him, becoming aggravated, "You did nothing wrong. You were not in control. I no longer blame you for my mate's condition. However," I turned back to the god, "it was my mistake that got him in trouble in the first place. I will save him."

He asked me again, "What are you willing to give me in exchange for Rogue Cheney's life?"

I steeled myself before answering, "Anything."

 **ROGUE POV**

I opened my eyes to an unfamiliar place. Everything was so bright and there were loud noises, beeping sounds in my ear. I turned my head to see machines, connecting themselves to me. I tried to sit up, only for me to grab my stomach as it stretched painfully. What had happened? I couldn't remember.

Then, the young dragon slayer Wendy came running into my vision. She said, "Rogue! You're awake!" Before I could even respond, she dashed from the room. Moments later, I could hear countless other voices entering the room. Before long, in front of me were many of the light guild members, like Lucy, Natsu, Gajeel, and Sting. It was a tight fit as it was a small area. It appeared I was in a room with another person as there was a curtain drawn forward to my left, separating the two of us.

Wendy started first, "How are you feeling?"

With her voice, it felt as though drums were pounding in my head. I answered, "Like crap. My stomach hurts and my head is killing me." Then I remembered that I had been in a war. I asked, "What happened?"

Sting spoke then, "We won the war. Zeref and Acnologia are dead. E.N.D. is no longer a threat." At his words, more memories came flying back. Natsu is E.N.D. Zeref is Natsu's brother. Natsu turned into E.N.D. after using a spell from Ankhseram. He was combated by Gray and Yaseik..! It was then that I noticed that she was not present in the people standing in front of me.

I cried out, "What happened to Yaseika?"

Gajeel spoke now, "E.N.D. was threatening everybody and everything. You took an attack for Yaseika, saving her life. Lucy managed to get through to E.N.D. by appealing to Natsu. Still, the attack he had done on you left you on the verge of death." I could see Natsu's hands clenching into fists with each passing word. Still, it didn't answer my question.

I began to get agitated, "You didn't answer me."

Lucy answered, "It's complicated." My eyes zeroed in on her, digesting every word she said. She said, "You were dying. Yaseika didn't want you to die. So she made a contract with Ankhseram."

I growled, "Isn't that the guy that cursed Zeref and Mavis? The one who essentially caused this whole problem?"

Lucy nodded and continued, "She begged him to spare your life. He agreed, with a price." Lucy hesitated and with that, I knew I wouldn't like her answer.

Still I asked, through closed teeth, "What did she do?"

Natsu spoke finally, "In exchange for your life, she gave up all of her magic." He paused for a moment to let that sink in. Her magic? As far as I understood it, her magic was precious to her. Based off of what I heard, she had been free from her torment, in control, able to use her magic at will again. Did she really give her magic to save me?

I growled, "Where is she? I want to see her."

Natsu continued, "We all tried to convince her that this was dangerous and not right. But she was adamant and she gave up her magic, and her ability to absorb Ethernano." He fell silent then, his head bent down.

I began to move, despite the pain it caused my body, "Where is she?!" I could sense her, but my senses were messed up due to the medicinal drugs. Where was she?

Then Master Makarov came up to my side, holding onto the curtain. He began, "As I am sure you are aware, for a wizard, magic is directly connected to their life. Should their magic be stolen away, it is similar to stealing one's life."

No…I gasped, "She's not…no. She can't be dead!"

The Master shook his head and pulled back the curtain. Lying on the bed next to my own was a very pale figure. Her eyes were closed, her usual tunic replaced with clean white clothing. I gasped: it was Yaseika. Her chest barely rose and fell, and even to my own ears, her heartbeat was faint.

The Master spoke, "Following the loss of her magic, she contracted a very potent form of the magic deficiency disease. She collapsed and has been in this coma ever since."

It was then that I realized something, "How long?" Wendy hesitated in answering and I barked, "How long has it been since the fight ended?"

She timidly replied, "It's been 2 weeks."

2 weeks!? I looked over at Yaseika, who was sweating, the area under her eyes shadowed. I asked, "When will she wake up?"

Finally, a pink-haired woman I had never seen approached me, "There is no guarantee that she will ever wake up." I growled and she gave me a harsh look. Quieting myself, she continued, "Usually, with the combined efforts of medicinal magic and the body's natural replenishment of Ethernano, anybody who is rid of a large amount of her magic would be able to recover within days. However, her case is special. Yaseika no longer is a Mage. All of her magic has been stolen from her. She cannot absorb the Ethernano in our world anymore. We have given her the medical help that her body can handle. There is nothing more that anybody can do. Only time will tell."

She began to walk out of the room, "Giving up all of her magic in such a forced manner should have killed her. The fact she still lives says something." She turned to address Master Makarov, "Call upon me only if there is an emergency. I don't like being around your kind." With that, she disappeared from the room.

I turned my head back towards Yaseika's motionless form. Did she really do all of that? For me? Perhaps I was right before, when I had believed that we were special. Despite all odds, Yaseika was free from her torment and I had managed to save her from death. Only for her to sacrifice herself to save me. That had to mean something, right?

Still, would it even be worth it? Would her decision be her last?

….

Much time has passed. Since then, the others told me what they knew. Apparently, after Yaseika had collapsed following making the contract with Ankhseram, he had told them her full story, about how she had been cursed, which caused her inability to control herself, not the dragon. She had known that Natsu would become E.N.D., but when he had hurt me, she had lost control of herself. Our connection as mates seemed to have been the cause of that. They had also mentioned that she had referred to me as her mate, when she was making the deal with Ankhseram.

I wanted to hear her say it herself.

However, nothing could change the fact that she wasn't awake yet. I had managed to get out of bed myself in the past couple of days, albeit on crutches. I guess nearly dying does that to you. Still, I spent all of my time at her side, willing her to wake up. Now that she was in control of herself, I could have a second chance. Maybe she would accept me finally, just as I'm willing to accept her. It wouldn't be perfect, but we could work. We could work.

 **YASEIKA POV**

I stood by Ankhseram's side, silently observing the events happening in front of me. I watched my mate…no…Rogue awaken from his slumber with joy in my heart. I had done it. I had saved him. It felt as though I had given my magic up just yesterday, but time passes differently in this realm. I watched Rogue be able to rise from his bed. But instead of focusing on healing, he sat by my side. He spoke to me in earnest and I wondered aloud, "Will I ever go back?"

Ankhseram regarded me with a curious expression. He sighed, "Yes."

I didn't look at him, asking another question, "When?"

He didn't answer. I hadn't expected him to. I sighed, resigning myself to waiting. I had been in this place, coming here immediately after my physical body became unconscious. Ankhseram had said I was in no danger of dying here, but it was a place that I needed to go, until I could answer. Obviously, I tried asking what he wanted me to answer, but he said I should know, and fell silent again. He only answers yes-or-no questions now. Even then, it was unlikely.

For the first time in forever, I wanted to be alive.

I wanted to be conscious, I wanted to live my life. Now that I was free, I had my life back. I just wanted to live it. I wanted to be normal. I had done this in order to save those that I cared about, but I was still causing them pain. I needed to wake up!

Just then, I spoke aloud to the air, knowing that the god could hear me, "I understand now." He didn't answer so I continued, "I get it now. The idea of life and really what the purpose of it is. I wanted nothing more than to die for so long, I never realized that I was only thinking for myself." I looked across at Rogue, who was speaking to my body. I continued, "But after seeing Natsu again, I realize that there is more than that in life. He has friends, people that are his new family that he cares about. It didn't matter how powerful you were. Even Lucy, one of the weaker people magically, managed to save everybody."

"I did give you the wrong answer in the past. I did want to defeat Acnologia and Zeref for power. But not power for myself." A face flashed into my memory, "But the power to protect Natsu. To protect those I care about. That's why, I gave up my power. It means to protect the one that cares about me, and the one I care about too."

Before my eyes, it appeared as though my body began to glow. I was shocked, but Rogue didn't appear to react. Was this something only I could see? Reaching out tentatively, I placed a hand on my body and yelped in shock as my spirit form began to disintegrate. A moment of observation told me that the particles from my form were entering back into my physical body.

My heart leapt in my chest. This was it! This was my chance! Without thinking twice, I jumped, my vision fading. Just before everything went to black, I heard a voice in my head, "Even though you are a mere human now, I hope we meet again, Yaseika Dragneel."

 **ROGUE POV**

I was holding onto Yaseika's hand, rubbing it gently. I wished to Ankhseram to allow her to awaken. I was on the verge of passing out when something seemed to shift in the air. I tensed in preparation, only to feel as though the world resumed as usual. Just then, I felt a minute pressure on my hand. Looking down to the girl on the bed, my heart leapt at the sight of purple eyes wearily looking at my face.

She looked down at our intertwined hands and quickly separated them. She croaked, her voice rough from underuse, "You're okay." I couldn't even find any words to respond to her. It was slowly clicking in my head: Yaseika was awake, she was speaking to me. Even though she had pulled away from me, she wasn't running away in fear.

Finally, I managed to say, without appearing overly excited, "You're awake!" Then I realized that Wendy should probably have a look at her.

I was about to rise from my place at her side, when she clutched at my cloak. With a look in her eyes that I could only describe as desperation, she whispered, "Please. Not now. Soon."

Even though her phrases were fragmented, I subconsciously understood what she was saying. Stay by her side. I could get the others later. I sat back down, unsure of where to begin.

I didn't have to speak, since Yaseika's eyes darkened and with a valiant effort, she punched me in the shoulder. The movement had very little power behind it, but it still hurt my heart nonetheless. I asked, "What?"

She hissed, "You idiot. Jumping in front of me like that! You could have died." Her eyes darkened and became sad saying, "I didn't want you to die."

I snorted, "Speak for yourself. Giving up your magic to save me? You should by all logic be dead."

She muttered something so quietly then that I couldn't even hear it. I asked her to repeat what she said and she did, "I'm alive because I have something to live for."

The room fell silent after that, and it took a few moments before I worked up the courage to ask, "When you were hit by the spell from Natsu, the Ankhseram spell," she looked confused and I restarted, "You were freed from your curse, right? The Black Ankhseram curse thing? At least, that's what the others told me."

She nodded and I sighed, steeling myself to ask my question, "They told me that you referred to me as your mate." Her eyes widened and her face turned the slightest bit pink. I finished, "Did you really mean it? Would you accept me as your dragon mate?"

Yaseika's expression sobered and I wondered if I had said something bad, if I had yet again messed things up. Then she said, "I can't anymore."

My heart felt as though it would break into a thousand pieces again. If the others had told me the truth, this meant that she was unwilling to tell me the truth. Maybe I had been misinterpreting everything.

"However…"

My ears felt as though they perked up. What was she going to say?

She continued, "You have already accepted me as your dragon mate. I can no longer accept you as my dragon mate. You are no longer that person to me. I no longer am a dragon slayer. Therefore," her eyes glittered with mirth, "I will accept you, Rogue Cheney, not as a dragon's mate, but as my soul mate."

It took a second for her words to sink in. When they finally did, I felt my eyes widen in shock and my jaw drop open. Somewhere along the line, I had started crying as well. Something in my chest felt as though it was rejuvenated, a part of me that had missing for all of this time finally reunited with the source. I bent my head down and allowed the tears to flow. Yaseika made no move to comfort me, and when I had finally calmed myself, I looked up to see a conflicted expression in her eyes.

I asked, "What's wrong?"

She hesitated and I added, "I can see you are feeling upset at something. Is it me?"

Her eyes widened and she said, "No, not at all. It's just…" she trailed off before looking at her hands in her lap, "I feel like the right thing to do now is to hug you, say it will all be alright, comfort you, but I can't."

She looked miserable. I asked her gently, "Do you know why?"

She nodded. She held her hands up in front of her saying, "Even though I know that I can't hurt anybody anymore, that I am just a normal human, I'm scared. It's been so long, but it was how it started with Striker. I killed him when I thought I was in control. I don't want to kill anybody else. Even though I know I can't, my mind is telling me that through some loophole, it still could happen." She pulled her knees up to her chest and bent her head down.

I moved, with some difficulty, to her side. Rather than place my arm around her, I simply sat by her, the room falling into silence once more. Eventually I said, "I understand." She looked up at me and I continued, "I guess 'understand' is the wrong word. I've never killed anybody. I've never been cursed. I thought that the shadows present in my magic were bad enough, the fear of the possibility of losing myself to them still plagues me now. But I really don't know what you are going through. But I can wait. I can be here for you."

I heard her stifle a sob and without looking, I knew she was crying. But these weren't tears of sadness. They were tears of happiness, of hope, of life. I would appreciate the fact that Yaseika was here, alive, willing to accept me as her other half. Even though I hadn't been around her for very long, I could feel at peace, only with her by my side. I knew that I was the same to her. She was everything to me. Now that she was here and she had accepted me, everything was finally right in the world.

 **(One week later)**

"You're really leaving?" Natsu whined.

Yaseika gave him a faint grin but said nothing. Instead I answered for her, "She's coming with Sting and I back to Sabertooth. We've been away for too long. The rest of our guild has already gone back. She wants to come with us. Join our guild."

Natsu let out an exaggerated sigh and whined again, "But what's wrong with Fairy Tail? Why join Sabertooth?"

Yaseika's eyes brightened and she responded, "I'm going to join their guild to train. I think my destiny awaits me there." She shrugged, "Although I don't know for sure. Without the Book of Requirement, I can't tell the future anymore."

Lucy murmured, "That's right. Your contract with the book was terminated, right? As a result of giving up your magic?"

Yaseika nodded and fell silent again.

I heard Gajeel mumble from somewhere nearby, "I bet that isn't the _only_ reason she's going back to Sabertooth."

Happy giggled, "I bet _Rogue_ has some part in her reasoning." Hearing their words, I felt my checks turn pink, and laughter erupted from around us.

I watched Gajeel wrap his arm around Levy, pulling her to his side. Natsu was holding Lucy's hand in his own, even as he spoke to us. Since the war, it appeared that the dragon slayers realized just how close they had come to losing their mates, Natsu especially. Same thing happened with a bunch of mages as well. A number of new couples formed and love was in the air. I looked down to Yaseika, only to see her looking at me. Even though she could only see out of one of the eyes, both of them looked like gems, absolutely perfect.

Yaseika continued, "You're right." My blood pressure skyrocketed, "I'm going with my soulmate to Sabertooth and there is nothing you can say or do that will stop me."

The room was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop. Then a roar erupted from the crowd surrounding us. Yaseika held up her hand and there was silence. She continued, "My foster brother Natsu has forged his own life, his own destiny by coming here to Fairy Tail. He met his future mate and against all odds, has accepted his demon half and become able to control it."

Natsu cackled, "Yeah Yaseika!" Again, for reasons I did not understand, E.N.D's form had been left unlocked from using the spell during the war. Natsu was able to enter and exit the form at will, providing him with immense power, very similar to Tartaros. Still, it exhausted him and he admits that he would only use the E.N.D. form only if absolutely necessary.

Yaseika spoke, admiration lacing her tone, "I am proud of what my brother has done for himself. I believe that it is time that I accept my own darkness and grow from it. Magic or not, I'm still Yaseika Dragneel." She looked at me, "I will travel with Rogue back to Sabertooth. I will study anything that I can. Perhaps I can become a vessel of knowledge on my own, without making a contract. I've caused a lot of trouble and have sinned against this world. I hope that through this I will leave a positive mark on this world through my work."

Everybody cheered, before Natsu finally stepped forward. His fist encased in flame, he created the Fairy Tail guild mark in front of him. He shouted, "Before leaving Fairy Tail, you must swear to follow these three rules. Any member who chooses to leave the guild must follow them. One: You must never reveal sensitive information about Fairy Tail to others for as long as you live. Two: You must never use former contacts met through your being in the guild for personal gain."

I was beyond confused at this point. A look at Yaseika informed me that she was just as surprised and confused.

Natsu finished with, "Three: Though our paths may have diverged, you must continue to live out your life with all your might, you must never consider your own life to be something insignificant , and you must never forget about your friends who care about you – for as long as you live!" The guild hall trembled as everybody repeated, "For as long as you live!"

Lucy finished with, "May all your journeys bring you joy. Live your life. You've earned it."

Their words were endearing and filled with heart and hope. I turned to see Yaseika in tears yet again. She was smiling, and she raised her hand up in an "L" shape, her closed palm facing her. I had never seen this hand signal before and was shocked when all of the other Fairy Tail guild members began to raise their hands up in the same way. Before long, everybody had their hand in that shape.

Master Makarov approached and Yaseika dropped down to one knee. He finished with, "We may not be able to see you, Yaseika. Someday, there may be hundreds of miles between us, but we'll always be looking your way. We'll be watching over you forever." He closed his eyes and placed a hand on her shoulder. He murmured, "Goodbye Yaseika. Fly free. Find your new destiny."

It wasn't long before we were walking along the road. Sting and Lector were up ahead while Frosch and Yaseika were at my side. I asked her, "Are you sure you want to do this? I know we've talked about this a lot, but…if you want to stay by Natsu I would understand. We could have even entertained the possibility of me joining the Fairy Tail guild."

She shook her head and said, "I need a fresh start. Even though things are fixing themselves, I need time away from the Fairy Tail guild. I will see the members again of course, but I wouldn't consider joining yet." She frowned, "Not while wounds are still too fresh. Not after everything that happened." She rubbed her arms and I flinched. Yaseika was withdrawing back into the past again. Her mind was totally messed up after feeling out-of-control of her life for so long. I couldn't blame her.

Unfortunately there was very little I could do to help her. Instead, I continued talking to her, "So you would consider rejoining the Fairy Tail guild?"

Her eyes cleared and she shrugged. She said, "I don't know. Maybe." Her expression shifted into that of pain again. She added, "I used to be able to see part of the future. Now I don't know what's going to happen." She looked at me in question, "How do you live, not knowing what is coming next?"

I looked up ahead towards my partner from Sabertooth, to see that he was gleefully talking to Lector, seeming completely oblivious to our conversation. I answered her, after a few moments of contemplation, "You just take what comes and figure out how to overcome it." Then I remembered something that Natsu and Lucy had told me about, "You know, not too long ago, I was considered destined to become one with my shadow, falling into a murderous darkness that I could never be saved from. And you were destined to die." I flinched at the thought of how close I had come to losing her. I continued, "None of that came true, you know why?"

She looked at me curiously and I finished with, "The future isn't set in stone. Even if we think we know what's coming next, it doesn't always happen in the way we expect. We can change it." I stopped and held out my hand to her asking her, "I don't know what our future is. We might stay at Sabertooth, join Fairy Tail, or do something else entirely. But we will live it. Together."

She looked at my hand in hesitation but then Frosch rose his hand and spoke, "Fro thinks so too!"

I chuckled and lifted Frosch up onto my shoulder. I looked back to Yaseika, pondering at the sight of my outstretched hand. Eventually, something changed in her eyes, as though she were steeling herself and she took my hand in hers. She said, smiling brightly, "Together."

It was the ending I had dreamed of and the ending that Yaseika had thought she had to give up. Hand in hand, we walked down the path. We don't know what's coming, but we have the comfort of knowing that no matter what happened, we would be there for each other.

After all, that's what mates do.

 **This concludes the tale of the Fire Dragon Heiress! Thank you thank you thank you everybody so much for supporting this story! Make sure to leave a review to tell me what you thought of this story and which ending you liked the most.**

 **Personally, I wasn't** **a huge fan of this particular ending but this is probably the most accurate because it's Fairy Tail. My favorite is probably the second ending, even though I wanted RoguexYaseika to happen.**

 **This is by far the longest story I've ever written and I am currently planning to take a summer hiatus, just so I can have a breather. But I will be developing new ideas over the summer, hopefully partially ready to post at the beginning of the academic year. Not just for F** **airy Tail, but for other fandoms as well! I plan to have one or two ongoing longer stories and a couple of shorter ones over the next twelve months.**

 **I hope you guys read my next stories!**


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